I come across a lot of misconceptions about sex and sexual desire in my work as a sex therapist. But perhaps one of the most harmful of them all is about men and sexual desire. Most people believe that men should always be in the mood. We expect men to have much higher desires than women, and that they are always ready and up for sex. This is such a harmful misconception.
It is actually incredibly common for men to struggle with low desire, for many of the same reasons that women struggle with low desire sometimes. Medications can impact desire (like anti-depressants) as can hormones (such as low testosterone). Illness, stress, fatherhood, relationship issues, and financial issues can also wreak havoc on a man’s libido.
Unfortunately, treating male sexual desire can be very complicated. Many men don’t seek help until low desire has been going on for months or even years. They are ashamed to talk to their doctor because we often associate sexual desire with virility and ‘manliness.’ Hence men often feel emasculated if they aren’t in the mood for sex.
In this episode of “The Language of Love,” you will learn:
• The common causes for male sexual desire and why low desire in men may be on the rise in our current economic climate
• What people can do to support their male partner when low desire becomes an issue
• How to talk about male sexual desire in a way that is more compassionate
• Tips and tools for increasing desire that you can start implementing in your bedroom tonight
• How to safeguard your bond when sexual connection is off the table
Listen to the episode and let me know your thoughts! If you are a man struggling with low desire, I am here to say: This is normal and not shameful. You are still a man even if you don’t feel in the mood for sex all the time or if you are currently experiencing low to no desire. But, there are many things you can do to start building up your desire again, and I am here to help!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Language of Love with Dr. Laura Berman