What is sexual anxiety?
It is an automatic stress response to the idea of having sexual intercourse that is not pleasurable.
The person who suffers from it, suffers great discomfort and worry which, in turn, aggravates the problem and becomes a loop (the more anxiety, the less capacity for relaxation and enjoyment, which in turn causes the ideas to be reinforced and the cycle of anxiety continues).
These ideas become increasingly anticipatory and trigger stress responses.
Among the symptoms the person may experience are:
- Tachycardia
- Shortness of breath
- Feeling of unreality
- Tremors
- Dry mouth
- Tension
Interference in daily life will depend on each particular case. It is important to know that anxiety is a symptom, not a dysfunction.
Is it usual?
Nowadays, in the times we live in, there is still a lot of misinformation and sexual myths, so that the person often creates erroneous and impossible concepts about their performance and how ideal sexual relations should be.
This obsession with “making the grade” and the (false) importance given to performance produces the anxiety response and, therefore, a blockage that is reflected in negative thoughts and physical symptoms.
What is the profile of a person with sexual anxiety?
Among the causes that can provoke sexual anxiety are sexual dysfunctions that may have occurred in previous encounters, lack of confidence and self-esteem, poor sex education, stress, relationship problems or emotional problems.
Does it affect men or women more? Why?
It affects both men and women, with the difference that women are diagnosed less often because their arousal is more difficult to define (they do not require an erection for sexual intercourse).
The consequences can be:
- lubrication and erection problems
- anorgasmia
- deterioration of the couple’s relationship
How is it treated by a specialist?
The psychologist can help you in consultation to overcome this anxiety. Sexual anxiety is treated according to the cause, since it works:
- self-esteem
- the couple’s relationship
- techniques to manage stress so that it does not interfere with daily life
- information about oneself and sexual relationships