It has come to the public consciousness of how sex addiction results in a lot of rehabs, support groups, treatment centers, and specialized therapists. But, little did we know that sexual avoidance or commonly known as sexual anorexia is equally devastating as sexual addiction.

Sexual avoidance or sexual anorexia is a concept manifesting the compulsive restraint of sexual intimacy and nourishment. People who are less interested in sexual contact might have sexual anorexia.

Just like anorexia, which means an interrupted appetite, sexual anorexia also means the same but is merely connected to sex.  If you fear, avoid, or dread sexual intimacy, you have sexual anorexia. The condition is also called as sexual avoidance, sexual aversion, or inhibited sexual desire. This condition may also be related to physical problems, such as erectile dysfunction in men. Anyway, sexual anorexia can be experienced by both men and women.

Symptoms of Sexual Avoidance

As the name suggests, sexual avoidance is the constant refusal to have sex. It is the lack of sexual interest or desire. People who have sexual anorexia experience anger and fear when sex is the topic. Sexual anorexia makes someone so obsessed with avoiding sex.

Causes of Sexual Avoidance

There are two main causes of sexual avoidance- physical and emotional.

Physical causes may include recent childbirth, hormone imbalances, breastfeeding, medication use, and exhaustion. On the other hand, emotional causes may include sexual abuse, a negative attitude toward sex, rape, stringent religious perception towards sex, power struggles with a loved one or a partner, and communication problems.

How Sexual Avoidance is Diagnosed

Diagnosing sexual avoidance can be difficult. A specific test is not yet available to determine the condition. But if you are suspecting that you are experiencing sexual avoidance, it is best to consult with your doctor or counselor. A sex therapist, psychiatrist, or counselor can also help diagnose whether or not you are suffering from sexual anorexia.

Who’s at Risk of Sexual Avoidance

As already mentioned, both men and women can be affected by sexual anorexia. But people who experience sexual rejection or sexual abuse in the past will most likely suffer from sexual anorexia. Most of these victims are not aware of the reason why they find it difficult to have sexual contact.

People who experience sexual avoidance may also have existing problems with other addictions such as substance addictions, food addictions, and other anxiety-driven or obsessive problems. Those who have a strong belief regarding sexual repression or oppression due to social, cultural, or religious groups may also be vulnerable when it comes to sex avoidance.

How Can Sexual Avoidance be Treated?

Sexual anorexia may be due to several factors. Abuse, anxiety, depression, body image issues, relationship problems, inexperience with sex can contribute to sexual avoidance. These are usually emotional causes that can be treated by psychotherapy. For couples, relationship counseling can be a big help if one of the partners have sexual anorexia. Aside from that, sessions with a sex therapist or attending relationship training may help.

Therapy can also aid in improving your thoughts regarding sex. This can also help in coping up with your past experiences, as well as negative emotions that contribute to sexual avoidance. People who have no experience with sex, but with sexual anorexia, may also learn from sex education. This can make them more aware of sex when they finally decide to have sex. For those who used to think that sex is wrong, a professional therapist may be hired.

On the other hand, people who have sexual anorexia due to low estrogen or testosterone levels may undergo hormone therapy. This is an effective form of treatment, especially for men who have erectile dysfunction, because they are most likely to experience a lack of sexual desire or interest. For women, especially those in the menopausal stage, they may find it helpful to undergo hormone replacement therapy to help improve libido.

Sexual Avoidance vs. Sexual Addiction

People who have sexual anorexia may also experience the same symptoms of sexual addiction. Both of these conditions may be due to the same system of belief. Both conditions have something in common such as preoccupation with sex, feelings of despair, and control of one’s life.

If you have a sexual addiction, you are most likely promiscuous or compulsive in controlling and dealing with your life’s negativities. On the other hand, if you have sexual anorexia, you reject sex just to gain control of your cravings.

Conclusion

People with sexual anorexia extremely avoid sex because of some reasons. This condition is also called as sexual avoidance, sexual aversion, or inhibited sexual desire. As the name implies, sexual anorexia means the loss of sexual appetite. A person who lacks interest or desire for sex may just be one of the symptoms of sexual anorexia.

This condition may be due to two main causes-physical and emotional. One may be suffering from sexual anorexia due to recent childbirth, hormone imbalances, breastfeeding, medication use, and exhaustion. It may also be due to sexual abuse, a negative attitude toward sex, rape, stringent religious perception towards sex, power struggles with a loved one or a partner, and communication problems. It can be hard to diagnose sexual anorexia, and both men and women can be affected by this condition.

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