Maybe with all of the holiday rush you haven’t been in the mood for some time. Balancing personal and professional lives can be overly demanding and put a huge strain on any relationship. Or maybe you have the feeling that being intimate with your partner seems like more of a chore lately, which is hurting your relationship even more. Passive agreements in a sexual relationship can make it feel like it just isn’t what it used to be. Of course, sexual desires will naturally fluctuate depending on any number of factors. Sometimes just the stress of the day can put a damper in your mood. Long days at work – or with the kids – and the demands placed upon you may make you feel less than sexy.
So how do you know when you’re struggling with a medical diagnosis of in low libido versus just the natural moods that sometimes come to all of us when we’re feeling less enthusiastic about sex? There are some signs of a low libido among women that might indicate a more permanent issue – a medical issue that can be improved upon.
Signs of a Low Libido
- If you rarely, if ever, experience any sexual thoughts or fantasies
- If you have little interest in any type of sexual activity, including self-stimulation
- If you feel bothered by your lack of sexual intimacy, activity, and your lack of sexual thoughts
- If you are turning down sexual advances from your partner frequently, and it’s causing problems in your relationship
Causes of Low Libido
If you’re suffering from depression, taking antidepressants, going through menopause, or have been dealing with some major life events such as a change in job, a death in the family, a child moving out of the home, your sex drive may be affected. Pregnancy and breastfeeding create major changes in hormone balance, which will likely affect your sexual desire. These changes in hormones, mixed with the pressures of caring for a new baby and exacerbated by physical changes in your body, are likely to suppress your sexual desires. Other possible causes for a drop in sexual desire may include:
- Physical sexual problems such as pain during intercourse; difficulty or complete inability to orgasm
- Medications including anti-seizure meds and antidepressants
- Too much alcohol consumption or use of illegal drugs
- Smoking
- Diseases including diabetes, high blood pressure, neurological diseases, arthritis and cancer
- Surgeries that may have affected your breasts, genital area, or altered your physical body in such a way that you feel less comfortable with your body in general
- Fatigue due to working too much, caring for young children, illness
Combating Low Libido
There’s good news for women who are suffering from low or diminishing libidos. Much can be done through therapy and medical intervention so that your sexual enjoyment need not be a thing of the past. Our principle philosophy here at Women’s Wellness Institute of Dallas is to help you live a fulfilled, optimized life from the inside out and we are here to assist anyone who is struggling with sexual health and wellness. We can help you determine whether the low libido you’re experiencing is a mere lull in desire or a long-term libido issue. Either way, we want to assist you in making improvements so you can fully enjoy a healthy sex life again. Contact us today to learn more about low libido, and how procedures such as hormone replacement and more can help!