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All Woman
An absence of sexual desire
By NADINE WILSON, All Woman writer
Monday, June 29, 2009
HYPOACTIVE Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD) is considered to be one of the commonest forms of sexual dysfunction in women. It is a deficiency in, or the absence of sexual desire or fantasy for sexual activity - in other words, you are never in the mood.
"It is common in Jamaican women and it is a problem encountered very often by doctors," said gynaecologist, Professor Horace Fletcher.
He pointed out that in order to be diagnosed with HSDD, a woman's lack of sexual interest must not be due to stress, interpersonal difficulties, another medical condition or mental disorder.
HSDD might come in three forms - it could be 'general', 'situational' or 'acquired'. For the generalised form of HSDD, the person will have no desire for sexual stimulation. In the case of situational HSDD, the patient was previously interested in their partner, but no longer has any desire for them even though they have desire for sexual stimulation. Those patients who were previously interested in sex, but no longer have any interest whatsoever, suffer from acquired HSSD.
The causes of HSDD vary, however, the busy lifestyle led by some women is one of the primary causes.
"Often the many demands of a busy life leave women so exhausted at the end of the day that sex is the last thing on their minds. Raising children, busy careers, cleaning, cooking, working, and several other things serve to leave them feeling overwhelmed and underappreciated at the same time," Professor Fletcher said.
In addition to this, Professor Fletcher pointed out that some causes of Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder can include various health/medical problems, drug interactions, psychological problems, low levels of testosterone, or high levels of prolactin. In many cases, the causes of HSDD are simply unknown.
It is usually hard to tell whether a woman is suffering from HSSD or has just a temporary episode of low sex drive. However, in such a case, the length of time the problem has been occurring is usually a deciding factor. But for whichever reason, a woman's desire for sex can be restored through the use of various products and medication. Since the cause of HSSD can be psychological, physical, mental or social, the treatment option usually varies.
"Many women will benefit from psychoanalysis. Speaking to a sexologist or psychologist, they may find the reason they have lost interest - abusive partner, cheating partner, childhood sexual abuse, stress factor at home or on the job, death or illness in the family - or a gynaecologist may find some problem when they speak to and examine the patient," said Professor Fletcher.
He pointed out that many women usually recover in their own time. However, this does not discount the problem many women who suffer from HSDD face.
"It will obviously affect relationships, especially if there is a loss of trust on either part. Successful treatment requires a patient, loving partner willing to support the patient until the problem is solved.
The problem is often a cause of more abuse and more cheating leading to marital disharmony and divorce.
Men need to understand that their wives have a genuine problem and should avoid the suspicion and accusations that are so common," said Professor Fletcher.
He pointed out that sometimes women will cheat with another partner just to find out if they are cured, however, this usually leads to more problems for the woman.
"This is another mistake as this leads to many other problems - STD, guilt, pregnancy - complicating the issue even further. Both parties should get urgent analysis and counselling by trained personnel who can solve their problems," Professor Fletcher said.
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