Transcript 14C-Sexual Difficulties

Sexual difficulties
© Robert J. Atkins, Ph.D.
Sexual problems are common
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Causes
Organic
 Cultural
 Individual
 Relationship
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Most commonly reported sexual
problems
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By men
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Erectile dysfunction
By women
Inability to climax
 Lack of sexual desire
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Medications related to sexual
problems
High blood pressure medications
 Depression & antipsychotics
 Barbiturates and narcotics
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Emotional difficulties producing
negative affects on sexuality
Depression
 Extreme work stress
 Fear of intimacy
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Types of sexual disorders
(summary)
Desire Phase
 Excitement phase
 Orgasm phase
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Desire phase
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Hypoactive sexual desire
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Related to:
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Lack of trust
Lack of power and control
Imbalance in independence and dependence
Never fantasizes, rarely masturbates, never initiates sex
Sexual aversion disorder (SAD)
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Physiological symptoms
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Nausea
Sweating
Diarrhea
Irrationally fearful
Feel disgusted or repulsed by sexual activity
Excitement phase
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Erectile dysfunction
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Most likely to be physiologically based
(have an organic component)
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Viagra
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http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/1445.html
Primary
 Secondary
 Situational
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Erectile dysfunction (ED) cont.
As many as 25% of cases are related to
medication side effects
 Tobacco appears to be one causative
factor
 Age - A man is 50’s = twice as likely to
experience ED as a man in his 20’s
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Performance anxiety
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Can turn a transitory problem into a
serious one
Sexual self confidence
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Women who are least self-conscious
about their bodies as compared to
similarly shaped women were more
assertive with their partners
Orgasm phase - Men
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Men
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Premature
ejaculation
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Squeeze technique
Ejaculatory
inhibition
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Merc manual
http://www.merck.co
m/pubs/mmanual/se
ction17/chapter220/
220a.htm
Orgasm phase - Women
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Orgasmic disorder (preorgasmic)
Primary
 Secondary
 Situational
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E.g. Orgasm with masturbation, but not with oral
sex
Orgasmic with manual stimulation, but
not with intercourse is typical, not a
sexual dysfunction
Dyspareunia (For women)
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Painful intercourse
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Vaginismus
Hegar dilators
 Merc Manual
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http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual/section18/chapt
er243/243e.htm
Smegma
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Smegma collecting under the clitoral hood may
cause discomfort when hood is moved during
sexual stimulation
Dyspareunia (For men)
Phimosis - tight foreskin
 Infected or irritated foreskin
 Peyronie’s disease - Fibroses in penis
 Pelvic or genital infections
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E.g. STD’s
Deep pelvic pain in women
during intercourse
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Caused by
Jarring of ovaries
 Stretching of uterine ligaments
 Endometrioses
 STD’s
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Average duration of intercourse
for American couples
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Five to ten minutes