“For others, an IUD or something other than hormonal contraception is better.” Remember, one of the issues with birth control pills is that they block ovulation-so you don’t get that mid-cycle testosterone bump. “For some people, a change in birth control pills will make a difference,” Dr. A 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis of 12 studies that investigated female sexual dysfunction and contraception found no direct association, but a declining sexual desire was still linked to contraceptive use. Hormonal contraception often gets brought into the “does-this-medication-affect-sex-drive” discussion, and the answers are mixed. 9 (It’s also important to keep in mind that living with these conditions can also cause issues with getting and staying in the mood for sex.) Libido can also be influenced by certain antipsychotics, drugs often used to prevent seizures, and some medications used to treat cancer and hypertension. Many of these meds may inhibit sexual desire, decrease vaginal lubrication, or contribute to erectile dysfunction in some people. You’re taking medications that decrease libido in some cases.Īnother way mental health can play a big role in low libido: Many commonly prescribed medications, particularly the selective-serotonin-reuptake-inhibitor (SSRI) class of antidepressants 9 count a reduction in libido 10 among their potential side effects. Either way, it’s fine to have sex on your period.”ģ. “For some people, the last thing they want to do on their period is have sex. ![]() It’s important to remember that people who menstruate may still experience day-to-day-even within the day-changes in libido and these changes may also be dictated by hormone levels. However, hormonal birth control that suppresses ovulation can actually reduce the usual testosterone increase, so people using contraception like combination pills might not notice that higher libido around ovulation. Generally speaking, libido is at its highest just before and at the start of ovulation, as SELF has previously reported, and experts believe this can be attributed to the slight boost in testosterone production around this time. As a result, those shifts can have an impact on how high or low your desire is. The “right” amount of sex to be having is the amount that you and your partner or partners mutually feel comfortable with and consent to-and that doesn’t have to look the same for everyone.įor people who menstruate, the body experiences hormonal changes throughout the month as it cycles through the different phases. Generally speaking, though, there is no “normal” amount of sex you should be having, whether you are in a relationship or not. Experts estimate that the condition may affect up to 10% of women. On top of that, this lack of sex drive must be causing a lot of personal distress. ![]() When a person is diagnosed with hypoactive sexual desire disorder, it means they have lost some or all motivation to engage in sexual activities for at least six months or longer. “Hypoactive sexual desire disorder can have a negative impact on a person’s relationships and personal health,” Brett Worly, M.D., an ob-gyn at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, tells SELF. However, there is a clinical condition characterized by a sex drive that’s persistently lower than baseline: hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD). (People who relate to those feelings may identify as asexual.) It’s also normal to never or rarely experience the desire for sex. These changes can happen over months or years, even day to day. “Just because someone has a low libido at one point in their life doesn’t mean that they’ll have low libido all of their life,” Lauren Streicher, M.D., professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and author of Sex Rx, tells SELF. Fluctuations in the desire for sex are extremely common. But you also don’t need to be going through a Big Life Moment to “justify” a low libido.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |