Sexual desire, or libido, runs along a continuum.
For some, having sex once a day is not enough; for others, sex once a year is too often.
Sexual desire in the same individual can also vary, from day to day or over the years.
It’s not unusual for us to compare ourselves to others to see how our sex lives measure up. But little is known about what constitutes normal sexual desire or how sexual desire may differ between men and women.
Moreover, there are no established criteria by which to measure sexual desire. Since we lack scientific data, we must rely on information from clinical observation and statistical surveys. “Normal” may simply be what is usual or typical for you. Stress, fatigue, and general health can affect your level of sexual desire, as can more serious medical conditions, relationship problems, and emotional difficulties. Being too tired one night is not a problem; the problem occurs when there is an unsatisfactory change in the overall pattern of sexual desire.
Sexual desire disorders are the most common reason couples seek sex therapy. However, those seeking help often mistake a lack of sexual desire for a problem of sexual arousal, such as erectile dysfunction, or an orgasmic disorder.
Sex therapists report that nearly half of all clients are diagnosed with sexual desire disorders (Reinisch, 1991). The most common health-related causes of decreased sexual desire are depression, stress, side effects of drugs, and changes in hormonal levels, especially testosterone. Any disruption of the brain or central nervous system, such as that experienced in a stroke, can affect the biological mechanisms necessary for experiencing sexual desire (Reinisch, 1991).
In the past, disorders of sexual desire were considered to belong to psychology not medicine. Although we are learning that endocrine fluctuations and neural activity of the brain affect sexual desire, the influence these neurological and biochemical systems exert is uncertain. Today you are as likely to be treated for a sexual desire disorder by your physician as by a mental-health professional.
