4 Causes of Low Libido in Women
It’s completely normal for your sex drive to wax and wane. It can be affected by your mood, any stressors you have in your life, or a range of medical causes. A lowered sex drive can range from normal to a cause for concern. If you’re worried about your libido tanking suddenly, or you haven’t had a sex drive for longer than six months, talk to your doctor or mental health specialist.
Symptoms of Low Libido
A woman’s low libido isn’t a diagnosable medical condition unless it’s persisted for six months or more. At that point, your doctor may diagnose you with a type of sexual dysfunction called hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), and you can discuss hormonal treatment options. But whether you have HSDD or are just experiencing a period of lowered libido, you might be struggling with your mental health, your emotional well-being, and your relationship. A woman’s low libido is characterized by the following:
- Loss of interest in sexual activity
- Disinterest in a partner’s sexual advances
- Difficulty getting aroused
- Difficulty feeling pleasure during genital stimulation
- Lack of enjoyment of sex
- Little to no sexual thoughts or fantasies
Causes of Low Libido
1. Relationship Issues
Do you and your partner struggle to communicate and find yourselves fighting often? Are you frustrated by an unequal distribution of household responsibilities? Many women have a hard time feeling sexual when taking care of the entire house—they have too much on their plate and stop viewing their partners as sexual beings. Examine your relationship. Are there unsaid conflicts that might be inhibiting your desire? Is there a lack of trust between you? Talk to your partner about your worries and how you’re feeling about the relationship. Don’t be afraid to tell them what you need to get your sex drive back on track.
2. Stress, Anxiety, or Depression
Anything weighing on you mentally or emotionally will interfere with your sexual desire. Symptoms and causes of anxiety and depression, such as low self-esteem, loss of interest in activities, poor body image, and unresolved trauma, all contribute to pushing sex from your mind. Unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as using alcohol, drugs, or tobacco, can also lower your libido.
3. Hormonal Changes
Women go through significant hormonal changes throughout their adulthood: pregnancy, breastfeeding, and menopause all affect libido differently. If you’re still breastfeeding or just starting to experience menopause, you’ll probably go through a period of adjustment. But if your libido doesn’t return at all, it might be cause for concern. Some women have lowered estrogen or hormonal fluctuations because of other medical issues, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
4. Medication
Any kind of hormonal birth control can have a huge effect on your sex drive—if you’ve been struggling with low libido for a long time and haven’t reexamined your birth control, it could be the culprit. Many medications are known to cause low libido as a side effect. Many other prescriptions for mental health, such as SSRI antidepressants and antipsychotics, can tank your sex drive. So can medications for high blood pressure, epilepsy, and anything that blocks or reduces your production of testosterone. Before making any changes to the meds you’re currently taking, you should talk to your primary doctor, gynecologist, and/or psychiatrist.
Should You See Someone?
If your low libido is causing you significant distress and hasn’t gone up in the last several months, you should speak to your healthcare provider. You may have an undiagnosed medical condition or an issue with your current medicine. If you discover your low libido is due to stress, anxiety, or another mental health condition, think about talking to a therapist. A sex-positive therapist can talk you through what’s inhibiting your desire.
To learn more about how therapy can help you address your low libido, please reach out to us.
