Sexual Desire Disorder Nowadays - Essay Example

Running Head: Sexual Desire Disorder Sexual Desire Disorder Name Course Lecturer Date Introduction Of all sexual problems, sexual desire disorders prove to be the most difficult to handle. Yet, there are most frequently seen in patients seeking sex therapy. Sexual desire disorder may be defined as a psychiatric condition which is clearly marked by lack of sexual desire for a long time. The difficulty in managing the disorder may be said to arise from, to some extent, lack of the basic understanding of the determinants and nature of sexual desire. This situation is worsened by the inconsistency in the basic terminology that is used to describe the fundamental components of the sexual functioning. It is important to note the sexual desire has three basic dimensions: intensity, frequency and object. Frequency and intensity are both considered as strength of sexual disorder. The disturbance of frequency and intensity are referred to as sexual desire disorders. However, some authors have added sexual anxiety and sexual aversion in their discussions of sexual disorder. The disorder has continued to represent a challenge for neuroscience and psychology. The most presented sexual desire disorder is a deficiency in the sexual disorder which is referred to as hypoactive sexual drive. Regardless of marked inconsistence in the current research, it has been observed that there is a difference in the felt experience in women and men in sexual desire. Women tend to convey erratic sexual desire that is dependent mainly on situational context. On the other hand, men appear to be constant in their sexual desire. Thus, women are more vulnerable to this disorder. Diagnosis The indispensable feature is the absence of sexual fantasy or desire that leads to marked interpersonal difficulty or personal distress. This eventually leads to the patient seeking for help. The difficulty is said to arise when two people having a relationship experience different frequencies and intensities of sexual desire. In such a situation, regrettably, the individual with a lower sex desire is usually designated as the patient. Another common interpersonal difficulty is perceived when one of the partners rarely or never initiates sexual activities but nevertheless happily do participates and frequently experience orgasm and arousal following the sexual advances from the partner. The observed problem is that of deficiency in proceptivity, which is, initiating or seeking sexual activity (Scherrer, 2008). Various people have attempted to stipulate “standard” levels of sexual desire. Generally speaking, there is no accepted decisive factor of normality. The frequency and intensity of sexual desire does vary within an individual and over a population. Thus, these dimensions do fall on a range extending from lack of desire to exceptionally frequency, intense sexual desire. However, if the high sexual activity disrupts normal life, it is then considered to be abnormal. Therefore, the deficiency of sexual disorder is mostly left to the clinicians who take accounts of all sexual functioning factors such as person’s life and age. According to research, some medications and physical illness may result to the sexual desire disorder. In addition, psychological conditions such as excessive stress and depression may increase the inhibition of sexual interest. Assessment is done through three components, cognitive or “sex wish”, biological mainly through neuroendocrine mechanism and interpersonal components. These components are evaluated before a patient is presented with sexual desire disorder (Althof, 2001). Etiology The etiology of sexual desire disorder is complex and multifactorial and involves psychological, sociological, neuroendocrine and behavioral factors. However, it is not well understood leading to a sense of “befuddlement” alluded to by several authors. Of important to note is some cases whereby women especially, do not experience sexual desire yet they do not manifest social, psychological and biological abnormality after intensive investigation. Various theories have been put across to explain this but lack of evidence has made them lame. Psychological factors Broadly speaking, the identified psychological factors that contribute to low sexual desire may fall into four areas: disruption of body image, sexual trauma, relationship conflict and conditioning factors. Sexual trauma is majorly evident in people who have had sexual abuse in their childhood. Many people, who have experienced sexual abuse, may have difficulty in establishing sexual intimacy in their adult life. Hyper sexuality or hypo- may ensue. Rape or any other form of sexual assaults may also result to low sexual desire irrespective of the occurrence of the assault in one’s lifespan (Perel, 2006). In disruption of body image, eating disorders, chronic illness, onset of disabilities and surgery have to an extent resulted to loss of sexual and social confidence in many people as well as libido. These problems are also related to the sexualized parts of our body: genitalia in women and men and breast in women. Most clinicians have concluded that a major cause of sexual desire disorder is relationship habituation, in particular marital conflict. Marital conflict is a potent maintenance and etiological factor in many couples experiencing dysfunctions of desire. In the condition patterns, family values that are related to “good behaviors” may form part of one’s life and the individual may be conditioned to it. This may eventually affect an individual sexual activity (Liu, 2003). Social factors In case of religious and cultural factors, the interpretation of the moral codes may have a profound effect on individuals who hold on to these codes which apply in their sexual life. Intolerance of specific objects of desire may lead to confusion, despair and thwarted desire. In other cases when people from different cultural background meet, conflict expectations between may result to loss of sexual desire. Life events such as employment are said to be contributors of low sexual desire. For instance, most men may loss the sexual drive as a result of loss of a job. This may be attributed to loss of self esteem. Over-occupation of careers is seen also to play a role in loss of sexual desire especially if an individual work for long away from home. Peers have a great influence on how an individual may react to sexual desires (Liu, 2003). Biological factors Loss of sexual drive in men, may be presented by symptoms of hypogonadism which arises from hypothalamo-pituitary or testicular dysfunction. In addition, those with isolated low free testosterone levels and increased levels of sex hormone-binding globulins. Hyperprolactinemia is also associated with low sexual drive. In women, loss of sexual desire may result from the disturbance of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal endocrine. Marked reduction of the level of testosterone which may occur due to radiotherapy or chemotherapy may result to sexual problems. Still, hyperprolactinemia may result to low sexual desire. In both sexes, thyroid dysfunction is seen to affect sexual desire. However, correction of this may lead to restoration of sexual desire in most of the cases. Various physical illnesses that impair the neuroendocrine control for sexual desire such as epilepsy, pituitary tumors and hepatic disease may change the levels of sexual drive. Some drugs are also being implicated in changing sexual desires. They are expected to disrupt on pharmacological grounds. Ways in which drugs induce sexual dysfunction is a complex issue. These include antiandrogens, dopaminergic and gonadotropin agonists (Mccall and Meston, 2006). Treatment Approaches As a result of appreciating various etiological factors, various treatment approaches have been used. The current psychological treatment, vary and range from short to long term treatment. In this area therapists use various therapy that include hypnosis, feminist and systemic perspectives, cognitive behavior therapy and Gestalt therapy. However, the efficacy of hypnosis has not been evaluated fully as a modifier in low sex desire. Still, others view it as a tailored therapy to adjust to standard sex. Desire incongruity disorders in most couples have been treated with sexual scripts. The sexual script does provide a cognitive organization of focus attention and sexual interchange on the appropriate nature of sexual conduct. According to Levine (2002), at present, medical approaches in treatment of the disorder is said to play a minor role except in a situation where treatable biological etiology is confirmed. It is a major concern that medical treatment that is designed for sexual desire disorder may result to misdiagnosis and eventually to inappropriate prescription. Endocrine treatment has been used in both men and women. This is because their sexual drive is seen to be androgen dependent. Hormone replacement is done to those patients who experience low sexual drive as a result of androgen deficient. However, this is applies where there are contradictions present. Similarly, women who have low levels of testosterone may be treated with replacement of testosterone. This is also given to women who have reached menopausal. In case of pharmacological treatment, drugs have been used. However, there are no drugs that are licensed for the treatment of the condition. The approaches given to various etiological factors have to some extent assisted in reducing the high of loss of sexual desires especially in women. However, more research is necessary in order to boost the existing treatment which mainly is psychological treatment (Perel, 2006). In conclusion, sexual desire disorder is in one of the frequent sexual symptoms which affect both genders. The major diagnostic feature is loss of sexual desire for a long time. There are various etiologies but treatment approaches have been introduced in order to assist the patients. References Althof, S (2001). My personal distress over the inclusion of personal distress. Journal of Sex and Marital therapy, 27 Levine, S. (2002). Reexploring the concept of sexual desire. Journal of Sex and Marital therapy, 12 Liu, C. (2003). Does quality of marital sex decline with duration? Archives of Sexual Behavior Mccall, K. and Meston, C. (2006). Cues resulting I desire for sexual activity in women. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 3 Perel, E. (2006). Mating in captivity: Reconciling the errrotic and the domestic. New York: Harper Collins Scherrer, K. (2008). Coming to an asexual identity: Negotiating Identity, negotiating desire. Sexualities, 11 Read More

Therefore, the deficiency of sexual disorder is mostly left to the clinicians who take accounts of all sexual functioning factors such as person’s life and age. According to research, some medications and physical illness may result to the sexual desire disorder. In addition, psychological conditions such as excessive stress and depression may increase the inhibition of sexual interest. Assessment is done through three components, cognitive or “sex wish”, biological mainly through neuroendocrine mechanism and interpersonal components.

These components are evaluated before a patient is presented with sexual desire disorder (Althof, 2001). Etiology The etiology of sexual desire disorder is complex and multifactorial and involves psychological, sociological, neuroendocrine and behavioral factors. However, it is not well understood leading to a sense of “befuddlement” alluded to by several authors. Of important to note is some cases whereby women especially, do not experience sexual desire yet they do not manifest social, psychological and biological abnormality after intensive investigation.

Various theories have been put across to explain this but lack of evidence has made them lame. Psychological factors Broadly speaking, the identified psychological factors that contribute to low sexual desire may fall into four areas: disruption of body image, sexual trauma, relationship conflict and conditioning factors. Sexual trauma is majorly evident in people who have had sexual abuse in their childhood. Many people, who have experienced sexual abuse, may have difficulty in establishing sexual intimacy in their adult life.

Hyper sexuality or hypo- may ensue. Rape or any other form of sexual assaults may also result to low sexual desire irrespective of the occurrence of the assault in one’s lifespan (Perel, 2006). In disruption of body image, eating disorders, chronic illness, onset of disabilities and surgery have to an extent resulted to loss of sexual and social confidence in many people as well as libido. These problems are also related to the sexualized parts of our body: genitalia in women and men and breast in women.

Most clinicians have concluded that a major cause of sexual desire disorder is relationship habituation, in particular marital conflict. Marital conflict is a potent maintenance and etiological factor in many couples experiencing dysfunctions of desire. In the condition patterns, family values that are related to “good behaviors” may form part of one’s life and the individual may be conditioned to it. This may eventually affect an individual sexual activity (Liu, 2003). Social factors In case of religious and cultural factors, the interpretation of the moral codes may have a profound effect on individuals who hold on to these codes which apply in their sexual life.

Intolerance of specific objects of desire may lead to confusion, despair and thwarted desire. In other cases when people from different cultural background meet, conflict expectations between may result to loss of sexual desire. Life events such as employment are said to be contributors of low sexual desire. For instance, most men may loss the sexual drive as a result of loss of a job. This may be attributed to loss of self esteem. Over-occupation of careers is seen also to play a role in loss of sexual desire especially if an individual work for long away from home.

Peers have a great influence on how an individual may react to sexual desires (Liu, 2003). Biological factors Loss of sexual drive in men, may be presented by symptoms of hypogonadism which arises from hypothalamo-pituitary or testicular dysfunction. In addition, those with isolated low free testosterone levels and increased levels of sex hormone-binding globulins. Hyperprolactinemia is also associated with low sexual drive. In women, loss of sexual desire may result from the disturbance of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal endocrine.

Marked reduction of the level of testosterone which may occur due to radiotherapy or chemotherapy may result to sexual problems.

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