What is low libido in women?

Women's Low Sexual Desire Is No Medical Myth

Do you lack a desire for sex? If you're saying "no" while your partner reads this over your shoulder nodding "yes, " you are not alone. Most women think it's natural for their sex lives to wane over time, and going from having sex several times a week to just a couple of times a month (if you're feeling lucky) is no big deal.

The reality is: It is a big deal. The 1960 approval of the birth control pill was supposed to be the beginning of the sexual revolution for women. But nearly half a century has passed, and Western society has still not caught up. Nevertheless, even in the face of society's longstanding disregard of female sexuality, it is viewed by most as a critical component to overall health and quality of life.

One of the central factors being debated with regard to women's sexual rights is the question of whether female sexual problems are actually real. Some argue that female sexual disorders, specifically hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), are simply a conspiracy perpetrated by the pharmaceutical industry to mislead women to feel that their sexual function is inadequate and that their problems are simple and easy to treat with drugs. Unfortunately, the result of this misguided message is to disempower women. Unintentional as it may be, this message invalidates the experience of those women who are having sexual problems.

The response of health care professionals, researchers, policy makers and activists should be to listen to women and respect what they are saying about their experiences. It is wrong to make women feel like they are defective when they do not feel that way themselves. However, it is just as incorrect to discount women's distress when they express it. Are we really going to revert to telling women who are suffering from sexual problems that ''it's all in your head''?

Instead, let's help women uncover their personal truth.

Sexual dysfunction, including low sexual desire, is a real medical condition. It is known as hypoactive sexual desire disorder, or HSDD, and occurs when there is an absence or lack of sexual thoughts, fantasies or interest in sexual activity, which causes distress and difficulty in a couple's relationship or communication. It is estimated that 1 in 10 women in the United States suffer from low sexual desire that causes distress. That's 16 million women who feel the loss of an integral part of themselves.

Women want to want but they often don't want to talk about it. Sexuality is an important part of who we are as women, but as many of us lead busy professional and personal lives as wives, mothers and caregivers, it's easy to put sex low on the priority list. When women talk honestly about their desire, they don't typically say "I can live without it." Instead, they talk about how they want to get it back. They want to want.

Sorry to bow out of the discussion, I

by emarie