Sexual dysfunction in women, also called frigidity, can have numerous causes and must definitely be treated, because in many cases it does not get better on its own, but worse. Reasons for sexual dysfunction are numerous.
What are sexual disorders (frigidity)?
The term frigidity refers to all disorders related to a woman’s sexuality. Frigidity actually refers to a woman’s coldness of feeling and can manifest itself in a blockage of sexual desire or in a slightness of sexual sensation. In detail, this is, the reduction of libido, a disturbance in sexual arousal and a limited ability to orgasm. Often in frigidity there is also pain during sexual intercourse. In the rarest cases, these are physical disorders. Sexual dysfunction is common in women, although exact numbers are not yet known.
Causes
Frigidity is said to occur when problems with sexual intercourse persist over a long period of time. Causes can be hormonal disorders, mental illnesses such as post-traumatic stress disorder or depression. Medication side effects can also be causative. The reasons why women have never had positive sexual experiences in their lives may lie in early childhood, sexual abuse or an upbringing that was sexually hostile. Often rejection of one’s own body and fears occur. Sometimes women suffer from sexual disorders after childbirth due to changes in their life situation or hormonal changes. This is almost always temporary frigidity. Problems from everyday life can be transferred to the sexual relationship, lack of communication regarding sexual needs, monotony in the relationship, and lack of tenderness can have a negative effect. When women resign themselves to their partner’s lack of empathy, sexual dysfunction can result. Sexual dysfunction in one partner always involves both partners. In this realization lies the first step toward change.
Symptoms, complaints and signs
Frigidity includes organic sexual dysfunction and psychological sexual dysfunction. Symptoms are correspondingly varied. Thus, constant sexual unwillingness is referred to as appetence. Affected women have hardly any sexual needs and fantasies. The advances of possible sexual partners are repelled and avoidance behavior occurs. The feelings of the affected women are very different and range from disgust to fear of failure. As a symptom of frigidity, sexual dysfunction may also occur. For example, a lack of physical arousal despite the presence of sexual stimuli is possible. This leads to poor or absent vaginal lubrication and sometimes to pain during the act. This also promotes sexual aversion. The woman’s sexual disorder may also first become apparent during the act itself. It is possible, for example, that vaginismus occurs. Such vaginismus can be very painful. Pain after intercourse that cannot be explained is also possible. The symptoms can also directly affect the sexual experience of the woman. Thus, sexual stimuli may not be experienced at all or may not be perceived as pleasurable. A decreased or absent ability to experience orgasm is also possible. At times, an orgasm may be experienced but not enjoyed.
Diagnosis and course
At the beginning of the diagnosis of a sexual disorder, there is a therapeutic discussion. The spontaneous expressions of the woman’s feelings are particularly important. Existing conflicts can be read from this. After the discussion, it is possible to determine whether the disorder is pathological or whether the expectations of the partners are too high. If the woman reports pain during sexual intercourse, a physical examination is performed to rule out organic causes. In some cases, a sexual disorder resolves itself through increasing sexual experience or by getting to know a new partner. If a chronic course is present, sexual trauma or other physical causes must be investigated. In most cases, the situation is improved by couples therapy.
Complications
Sexual dysfunction in women can lead to various complications and discomforts.First and foremost, this usually results in sexual unwillingness and thus possibly also in tensions and problems in the relationship with one’s partner. Psychological complaints, depression or general irritability can also result from these disorders. Furthermore, in many cases the woman may suffer from pain during sexual intercourse, so that she also cannot reach orgasm. Although female sexual disorders do not have a particularly negative impact on health, they can significantly reduce and limit the patient’s psychological stability and zest for life. Treatment of female sexual dysfunction strongly depends on its causes. Medications or creams that significantly alleviate the pain can also be used. However, in many cases, psychological treatments or couples therapy are also necessary to combat these disorders. It is usually impossible to predict whether this will result in a completely positive course of the disease. Especially in the case of traumatic disorders, a long period of time may pass before the woman’s sexual disorders have been treated. The patient’s life expectancy is not usually reduced or otherwise affected by the disorder.
When should you see a doctor?
Sexual disorders in women are cause for a visit to the doctor from the moment when the affected woman feels uncomfortable with it and impaired in her sexual life. Often, of course, the partner is also the reason for a medical examination, because in sexual disorders usually only the partner with normal sex drive suffers from the problem. The right contact person for sexual disorders in women is the gynecologist; the family doctor can also be consulted, but he will refer the patient to the specialist. The gynecologist will first ask what form the sexual dysfunction takes, for example, whether it is a lack of desire, fear of pain or some other trigger. He will then perform examinations to rule out the possibility that the cause is organic. In women who have been using hormonal contraception for a long time, a side effect of the contraceptive must also be considered. If a physical cause is identified, then the gynecologist can either treat it himself or he can refer the patient on to a suitable specialist who specializes in the problem – the sexual disorders will then improve with treatment of the cause. If the gynecologist concludes that there is no underlying physical disease, he or she can refer the affected patient to a psychologist as needed, who will explore the causes of the problem with her and develop a solution.
Treatment and therapy
If the physical examination by a gynecologist does not yield any results, psychotherapy or couples therapy must be undertaken to get to the bottom of the causes in the psychological and partnership areas. Therapy focuses on the causes on the part of the woman. Counseling sessions on sexuality provide basic information on sexual intercourse, reduce inhibitions and correct misconceptions. Furthermore, the perception of one’s own body is changed, and faulty sexual behavior patterns are altered. In most cases, both partners are treated, even if only one partner is suffering from mental disorders. Sexual desires and ideas are discussed, false expectations are corrected. On the physical level, if there is pain during sexual intercourse, it is possible to influence the amount of vaginal fluid by means of hormone preparations. If the disorder is based on traumatic experiences, such as abuse in childhood, it is often treated in individual therapy.
Prevention
There is no general prevention of sexual dysfunction. Those who feel that something is wrong in their sexuality should seek a conversation with their partner early on. Those who remain silent about unfulfilled needs risk fears of expectation, which block sexuality even further. Those who deal intensively and free of shame with their own body and its needs can counteract sexual disorders.
Aftercare
In most cases, several aftercare measures are necessary for sexual disorders in women. The primary condition underlying the frigidity and the particular therapeutic approach are crucial.Regardless of diagnosed organic causes, longer-term marriage or couples therapy is advisable if the sexual disorder puts a strain on the partnership. This can last for several years. In the case of psychological disorders or trauma, intensive psychotherapy is also necessary. The woman in question should see a therapist at least weekly over a period of several years. The intervals between sessions change according to need and progression. In some cases, inpatient hospitalization is required. Often, however, sexual disorders in women have organic causes. In these cases, intensive follow-up examinations are usually necessary. These are usually performed by the gynecologist. Depending on the underlying disease, however, they may also be performed by an endocrinologist, neurologist or general practitioner. Blood or urine tests are often ordered. Sometimes an ultrasound of the abdomen is required. Rarely, other imaging techniques are used. The appropriate physician decides on the frequency of the tests and the intervals between checkups. In many cases, follow-up examinations are necessary for several months, sometimes even years, after the initial treatment of sexual disorders.
What you can do yourself
When a woman’s desire for sex wanes, it can have significant consequences on her overall well-being. First of all, it is advisable to find out the cause of the problem. Causes of the condition are often based on psychological backgrounds, for example, depression due to a traumatic event. If this is the cause, psychotherapy should be sought. It is often difficult for partners to deal with frigidity. For this case, it is advised to make the affected person want to have sex again, for example by talking about preferences and/or by trying out new sex practices. The beautiful sides of an intact sex life should be brought out. Partners can induce this by creating relaxation in the woman with intensive massages. It is important to give support to the affected person and not to put her under pressure. Partners should find out the cause and try to fix it if possible. Likewise, there is a possibility that the listlessness occurs due to illness. The absence of orgasms and vaginal dampness may be indications of this. The causes can be found out with a specialist and treated with medication. It is important to stand by his partner in this situation and not to put her under pressure.
