Low Libido? You Might Have Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder

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Seeing how we’re only human, it’s pretty normal to have ups and downs. From private to professional life, we all participate in the rollercoaster ride of life. And the sexual part of our being is no different. Sometimes we crave intercourse, while at other times, we’re just not in the mood.

This meter of how much we want to make love is what we call libido. There’s nothing strange about showing interest one day and being opposite to it the other. However, if the lack of sexual desire becomes a norm, it might be time to see if you’re suffering from HSDD (Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder).

What Is Considered Normal?

Although you can’t quite put a number on something like libido, it’s safe to say there’s some sort of optimal level when it comes to your desire for sex. This midrange, if you can call it that, varies from person to person. And what some might deem normal can be too much or too little to others. But, hey, it’s all subjective in the end.

Nevertheless, it’s important to state that changing your mood from day to day is all but abnormal. Various factors come into play for us to show interest in sex. From how tired you are to how good your day at work was, it all accounts for your willingness to have some down-time with your partner. There’re more layers to it than most people would have you believe.

But if your body rarely shows signs of sexual desire, or not at all, there might be something wrong with you. Again, this doesn’t have to be the case, but it sure is a sign that you’re not in an overall good place. This deficiency of libido has to do with bad sexual health. Moreover, it’s a direct cause of HSDD. 

What Is HSDD

Namely, HSDD is a form of sexual dysfunction. It means that one lacks or has a complete absence of sexual desire and fantasies. However, you can only consider it a disorder once it begins to create personal problems. The thing is, numerous drugs can affect one’s libido, but that doesn’t mean they have HSDD.

Low sexual desire can vary from it being situational to general. Situational means that a person shows no sexual desire for their current partner, while general means the condition is constant and doesn’t vary from partner to partner. Also, one can be born with it, or they can acquire it during their lifetime. In the United States, around one in ten women suffer from hyposexuality.

The American Psychiatric Association splits male and female sexual desire disorder into two categories. They also estimate that one in ten females in the U.S. suffer from HSDD, meaning somewhere around six million women. This loss or lack of libido is also called frigidity, sexual aversion, or even apathy in more informal conversations.

What Causes HSDD

In general, it is difficult to say what causes this condition. However, its strong connection with a low sexual desire can help with the diagnosis. Like we’ve already mentioned, low sexual desire can come in various forms. They can either be lifelong or acquired and also general or situational.

In men, the causes for lifelong hypoactive sexual desire disorder issues can come from many issues — health problems, psychiatric ones, high prolactin, or low testosterone levels. On the other hand, when it comes to acquired low sexual desire, it mostly comes down to relationship problems between two people. Because of various personal issues, one partner doesn’t feel the urge to have sex with the other.

When it comes to women, it’s mostly the same thing. Various inconsistencies with hormones, high prolactin, physical illnesses, mental problems, and badly functioning relationships all cause low sexual desire. Some studies suggest that women with HSDD don’t show a negative association with sex. They just have a weak one, unlike women without hyposexuality.

Is There Treatment?

But how to have a high libido and treat hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD)? Well, there are two main treatment options. Depending on their case, a person will either enter a counseling program or get medication. When it comes to counseling, the treatment will include their partner as well.

Counseling will begin with the therapist trying to determine the root of the problem. It is either biological or mental. If it’s the former, the therapist will look for ways to treat it. It means the person suffering from HSDD will go down the medication route. On the other hand, if the root is psychological, the therapist will begin therapy.

Therapy usually revolves around improving communication between partners. It’s somewhat similar to relationship counseling, meaning it’s all about working your way around your sexual problems as a couple. People sometimes have different views of what sex is supposed to be. So, coming to the same conclusion is what they’ll look for in therapy.

Nevertheless, if the therapist determines the problem to be biological, medication becomes an option. Just like with any other health issue, multiple drugs are either FDA approved or just dodgy and off-label. In 2019, the FDA approved bremelanotide for curing HSDD. On the other hand, testosterone replacement therapy is still debatable since it only shows short-term benefits.