Lots of women struggle with low sexual desire. This is a frustrating problem, and it doesn’t always have a clear cause. Maybe you’ve been in a relationship for years, and while you used to have a healthy sex life, you’re rarely intimate anymore. Perhaps you’ve been dealing with physical health issues, and now, you’re wondering if your symptoms could be affecting your sex drive. You might be carrying painful memories from past relationships or sexual experiences that make it difficult to enjoy intimacy today.
Understanding the cause of your low sexual desire is the first step to healing and feeling more at home in your body. Here are a few common issues that might be affecting your libido.
Health Struggles
Illnesses and injuries can have a strong influence on your libido. If you’ve been sick recently, you may need a bit more TLC before you’re fully recovered and feeling like yourself again. After an injury that impedes your movement, your body is dedicating energy to healing, which can leave you feeling drained and unenthusiastic about sex.
Maybe you’ve been feeling “off,” without a clear cause. Sometimes, it can be hard to get to the bottom of health issues. But finding answers can also help you boost your sex drive. You may want to request blood work or hormone tests for more clarity.
Relationship Troubles
If you’ve been going through a rough patch in your relationship, you might feel your libido dropping. Perhaps the “rough patch” has lasted long enough that you’re questioning your relationship altogether. Your body might know the connection has fizzled, even if you don’t feel ready to make a final decision about your future yet.
Hormonal Changes
Women go through countless hormonal changes. Perhaps you’ve recently had a baby, and right now, sex is the last thing on your mind. You might be entering perimenopause, or maybe you’ve stepped into menopause.
Autoimmune issues and other health conditions can also affect your hormonal health and have a major impact on your libido. Furthermore, some medications can influence your hormones, too. If you’re concerned about your hormone levels, it may be time to reach out to a doctor.
Chronic Stress
Does it seem like life has been an endless grind lately? Chronic stress can dramatically lower your sex drive. When you’re juggling so many competing demands, you might feel like you have no time or energy for sex. Intimacy may be the last thing on your mind. This situation can turn into a frustrating cycle. Even if part of you is craving closeness to find relief from your stress, you have little organic desire.
Body Image Issues
When you look in the mirror, you might be critical of your reflection. Our society upholds such unrealistic standards for women’s appearances, and as a result, countless women struggle with negative body image.
If your loved ones or past partners have made derogatory comments about your body in the past, it can get in the way of intimacy today, even if you’re with someone whom you feel comfortable around.
Past Sexual Experiences
If you’ve had a sexual experience in which your boundaries were violated, the thought of being intimate with anyone again might seem unthinkable. Sometimes, it takes years to realize that a particular experience or relationship left such a harmful impact.
You do not have to navigate this healing journey on your own. Reaching out for help and support can be transformative.
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You don’t have to continue living with a low libido. At our practice, we specialize in women’s counseling, and we encourage you to reach out to learn more about how we can support you.