Lack of Desire for Sex and Hypactive Desire Disorder
Hypoactive desire disorder, or more correctly known as Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder, or HSDD for short, is a condition where women experience a sense of a lack of desire for sex. This can cause a lot of emotional stress and can have a bid impact on women's personal lives and relationships. Several studies have been undertaken that prove that a lack of desire for sex in women can be detrimental to their interpersonal relations in many important ways.
One of these new studies on lack of desire for sex in women, titled DESIRE (for Desire and its Effects on female Sexuality, Including Relationships), interviewed over 65,000 women from 18 to nearly 90 years of age throughout Europe and the United Kingdom. Of these, nearly 8,000 women, or nearly 11%, were diagnosed with the condition of Hypoactive Desire Disorder, or having a long-standing condition of a lack of desire for sex.
These women reported feeling great dissatisfaction in their sex lives and the lack of desire for sex they were experiencing. They felt guilt about these sexual difficulties and this created a significant level of emotional distress within them in regards to their sex life and chronic lack of desire for sex. The frequency and level of sexual desire was measured over a two year period and hit was found the the degree and length of time they experienced a lack of desire for sex corresponded to the level of emotional distress they experienced concerning their lack of desire for sex. In other words, the more intense this lack of desire for sex was and the longer it carried out, the more emotional distress these women suffered in their lives.
Hypoactive Desire Disorder
In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of psychiatric disorders (Known as the DSM-IV-TR), Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder is defined as a persistent diminished or absence of sexual fantasies and desire for sexual activity that is not attributable to another mental disorder, other than another sexual dysfunction disorder. This includes the person feeling a significant degree of emotional or interpersonal distress. Recent studies have determined that Hypoactive Desire Disorder is the most common complaint of women seeking help for sexual dysfunction. The study found that between 24 and 36% of women from ages 20 to 70 had issues with a lack of desire for sex. This was not a full diagnosis if Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder, but it does show how common the problem of a lack of desire for sex is amongst women of all ages.
Low testosterone is thought to be one factor leading to Hypoactive Desire Disorder, as having too little of this hormone can be associated with a lowered libido and a decreased sexual receptivity and sense of pleasure from sex. The exact cause of Hypoactive Desire Disorder is not clearly understood and is difficult to determine as there are other potential causes of a lack of desire for sex, such as relationship and psychological issues, along with several possible physiological factors. A history of physical or sexual abuse, stress, relational issues, and strict religious upbringing can all contribute to a lack of desire for sex. Physiological issues, such as pregnancy, hormone imbalances, endometriosis, urinary tract infections, incontinence, menopause, and the side-effects of medications can all play a part in Hypoactive Desire Disorder.
A medication called Flibanserin is one of the newer medications on the market to addressed a lack of desire for sex. This drug was actually developed to address depression, though during clinical trials Flibanserin was found to be utterly useless as an antidepressant though seemed to show promise in increasing the libido in women experiencing a lack of desire for sex.
In clinical trials that involved 5,000 women, there seemed to be good results in using Flibanserin in increasing women's desire for sex. These women were diagnosed with Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder and were split into two groups, one receiving Flibanserin and the other a placebo. Those taking the drug reported a more satisfying sexual experience and events than those taking the placebo. The indicator of "satisfying sexual event" went from 2.8 per month to 4.5 events or encounters per month.
There are side effects associated with Flibanserin, however, that include fatigue, anxiety, nausea, dry mouth, insomnia, and dizziness. In fact, 15% of participants in the clinical trials dropped out of the study due to the intensity of these side effects.
Fortunately, there are a lot of herbal alternatives for hypoactive desire disorder. These herbal remedies can help increase desire and heighten sexual pleasure without the risk of these dangerous side effects. You can make them yourself or find a source that produces a high quality herbal formula that you can use with confidence.