Sexual Aversion Disorder

Sexual Aversion Disorder

Definition

Persistent or recurrent extreme aversion to, And avoidance of, all(or almost all) genital sexual contact with a sexual partner.

Sexual aversion is severe irrational fear to sexual activity which leads to avoidance of sexual situations. It affects males as well as female.

The disturbance causes marked distress or and interpersonal when confronted by a sexual opportunity with a partner. The aversion to genital contact may be focused on a particular aspect of sexual experience (e. g. genital secretion).some individuals experience generalized aversion to all sexual stimuli including undressing, touching and kissing. The intensity of reaction may range from moderate anxiety to extreme psychological distress. Some individuals may experience profound sweating, panic attacks, feeling of terror, faintness , nausea, diarrhea, palpitation, dizziness and breathing difficulties. There may be markedly impaired interpersonal relations and marital dissatisfaction. The individual may avoid sexual situations by covert strategies like going to sleep early, using substances or being over involved in work.

Cause

1. Severely negative parental sex attitudes
2. History of sexual trauma
3. Gender identity confusion

Treatment

The goal of the treatment is to reduce the fear and avoidance of sex by the individual. Systematic desensitization: all the anxiety-provoking stimuli are arranged in an ascending level sand the individuals is exposed to, one by one, from the least anxiety-provoking stimulus to the most anxiety-provoking stimulus. Initially, the individual is gradually exposed to imagination under relaxation and then to the actual sexual situation that generates anxiety.

Marital therapy is used for correction of relational problems.