Sexual health is a very important aspect in any person’s life, and it is an area that helps to greatly shape both their personality and their well-being at all levels.
Some people may experience temporary decreases in their libido or sexual desire throughout their lives, something that can be due to a wide variety of diverse factors, both physical and psychological. In other cases, the drop in sexual desire seems to become chronic, and situations of this type lead some people to see their quality of life diminished (although this does not always have to be the case). To better understand this phenomenon, here we will a review of the most common causes of low libido
It is important to highlight that The concept of “too low sexual desire” can be very relative ; Defining your limits depends from one person to another. Furthermore, going through any of these situations does not mean that the person will be unhappy throughout their life or that they cannot return to their previous state. There are even those who never feel sexual interest at any time, a portion of whom can consider themselves asexual; There are some who do experience sexual desire, but not directed towards specific people.
In addition to that, it is also worth clarifying that low libido is not restricted to a relationship, since feeling little attraction toward someone is not the same as having little sexual desire.
That said, let’s see what are the most common causes of low libido.
Menopause is a natural period in the life of all women that is related to the loss of sexual desire and occurs when their ovaries stop producing eggs, which It entails a hormonal alteration that causes a wide variety of physical and psychological symptoms
Menopause begins when the eggs stop producing hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, and this hormonal alteration occurs in a very short time, which causes a series of imbalances in the person.
This stage of female development often takes place after the age of 45 and some of the physical and psychological symptoms with which it is related are hot flashes, fatigue, anxiety, irritability and also lack of sexual desire.
Scientific research has indicated that About 40% of women who enter this stage of aging have low libido levels ; However, it is not yet known whether this is due to hormonal imbalance or a direct consequence of psychological imbalance, that is, fatigue, anxiety or stress.
2. Low Testosterone
Testosterone is the hormone that is related par excellence to sexual arousal in both men and women and when a person has low levels of it they usually have a reduced sexual desire or experience a lack of libido.
This lack of libido due to a testosterone deficiency is more common in men than in women since they see their testosterone levels progressively reduced during aging (especially between 45 and 79 years of age).
3. Prescription medications or drugs
The use of certain prescription medications intended to treat physical or emotional disturbances and even the abuse of harmful drugs such as tobacco may also be linked to low libido in both men and women.
This is one of the side effects that must be taken into account when taking certain medications, drugs that can intensely affect the normal functioning of the body, altering blood flow to the genitals and making it difficult, for example, to maintain the erection.
In addition to that, other medications act on the body interacting with receptors distributed in the nervous system or in various organs responsible for releasing certain hormones
4. Hormonal contraceptive methods
Hormonal contraceptive methods such as the combined pill, the patch or the contraceptive implant also generate an intense hormonal alteration in the body, which Sometimes it results in a low sexual desire in the person as a side effect
Health professionals recommend consulting a doctor whenever you experience a drop in libido of this type after administering said contraceptive.
5. Mood disorders
Some mood disorders such as depression also make it possible in many cases to reduce interest in everything (a phenomenon known as avolition) and to reduce the ability to enjoy anything (anhedonia), including sexual activity.
That is why sometimes the drastic loss of sexual desire in a person can be a reliable indicator that we are facing a case of depressive disorder, something that should be treated by a psychology professional as soon as possible.
6. Anxiety disorders
Anxiety disorders can occur in a person in multiple ways and usually generate a feeling of anxiety in the person who suffers from them. feeling of constant discomfort and anxiety, as well as tension, diffuse or vague fear or worries in the form of intrusive thoughts
This set of psychological symptoms, together with some physical manifestations of anxiety, such as muscle tension, make it impossible for the person to relax and are sometimes also associated with a drop in libido and sexual desire.
7. Sexual dysfunctions
Both male and female sexual dysfunctions are also some of the main causes of the drastic drop in sexual desire in the person who suffers from them.
These dysfunctions end up causing the person to develop great discomfort in any sexual situation, so in the end they end up becoming disinterested in the subject and avoiding it at all costs; Sometimes the simple act of thinking about sex produces an aversive reaction
Some of the most common are erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, anorgasmia, vaginismus or vaginal dryness.
8. Heart diseases
Some heart or chronic diseases often have a devastating effect on a person’s energy and also drastically reduce their libido levels, because They affect blood flow and the distribution of hormones throughout the body
Likewise, some of its medications, such as those used in some types of cancer, have been shown to significantly reduce libido.
9. Tiredness
Presenting high levels of fatigue sustained over time, as well as a lifestyle that predisposes to fatigue, is also closely related to the person’s loss of sexual desire.
Likewise, exposure to high levels of stress from work or any destabilizing factor in a person’s life can also cause a drop in the libido of any human being.
10. Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes causes damage to the blood vessels of the person who suffers from it which can also affect your libido levels and your interest in sexual activity.
According to various scientific studies, loss of sexual desire is one of the most common side effects of this disease, and in many cases people who suffer from it often have difficult and even painful sexual relations.
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