Sexual Aversion Disorder - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Sexual aversion disorder is characterized by an aversion to or avoidance or dismissal of sexual prompts or sexual contact. It may be acquired following sexual or physical abuse or trauma and may be life-long.

Sexual aversion disorder is characterized not only by a lack of desire, but also by fear, revulsion, disgust, or similar emotions when the person with the disorder engages in genital contact with a partner.

Causes of Sexual Aversion Disorder

Causes of this problem may originate in the hormonal regulation. The possibility of a sexual persons is now being investigated. These are those who lack all interest in sexual contact, possibly becausethey lack a certain substance in the body.

There may be a specific aversion, for example to sperm, penises in erection, etc. Sexual violence, during childhood or at a later age, is often the cause of sexual aversion. Stress, alcohol and drug use, fear ofpregnancy, depression and relation problems can cause the aversion to sex.

Symptoms of Sexual Aversion Disorder

• An intense antipathy/aversion to various forms of sexual contact, e.g. caressing, seeing sperm, kissing, seeing sex, etc.
• The wish to end every sexual contact as quickly as possible.
• When presented with a sexual opportunity, the individual may experience panic attacks or extreme anxiety.
• In the first meetings the sexologist will determine what the problem is, how long it has existed and if certain unpleasant sexual events have happened in the past.
• The aversion must result in significant distress for the individual and is not better accounted for by another disorder or physical diagnosis.

Treatment of Sexual Aversion Disorder

1. Typical treatment would involve discovering and resolving underlying conflict or life difficulties.
2. Medications can be used to treat some symptoms that may be associated with sexual aversion disorder, such as panic attacks, if they are severe enough to be causing additional distress.
3. Hormone replacement therapy (including treatment of the underlying disorder).
4. Psychological treatment that tries to influence the thoughts and feelings about sexual contact is also used.
5. Education on female anatomy, arousal, and response; where blood flow, hormone levels, and sexual anatomy are normal.
6. Panic states can be treated with tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, or benzodiazepines.