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Is sex the last thing on your mind these days? Does it take you forever to get aroused? Or has reaching orgasm become a Herculean task? If so, you may have female sexual dysfunction—and you're not alone. Plenty of women experience sexual dysfunction, with problems ranging from not being able to have orgasms to having zero sexual desire.
Many things can interfere with sexual pleasure and function, from medical causes, such as certain medications, to psychological issues, such as relationship strife. Most often, sexual dysfunction is born out of a combination of the two. To help you pinpoint what's taken the sizzle out of your sex drive, we've pulled together 10 top libido killers and what your next steps should be to get your sex life back on track.
1. Oral contraceptives: The trouble with the pill is that what keeps you from getting pregnant—stopping ovulation—is also what can sap your sex drive. Your ovaries make hormones as well as eggs, and when they're put to rest for several weeks each month, hormone levels in your body drop. The second problem is that the pill causes the body to produce a protein called sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), which binds itself to sex hormones, in particular testosterone, essentially sucking them up. Testosterone plays a role in vaginal blood flow and sensitivity in the opening of the vagina, so lower levels of this hormone can lead to sexual problems. What's more, the thinking was that once you stopped the pill your body returned to its original settings, but research shows the pill's effect and the SHBG protein production can continue to be higher in former pill users than in non-pill users.
What you can do: If you've noticed your sex drive isn't what it used to be and suspect it may be because of your birth control pill, talk to your gynecologist. He or she may switch you to another type of pill (especially if you're on an ultra low dose, or 20 microgram pill, which is one of the biggest offenders) or a different birth control method, such as an IUD or condoms.
2. Medications: Antidepressants—in particular, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)—are some of the best-known offenders for low libido and impaired orgasm. Certain chemicals in the brain affect your libido. SSRIs raise serotonin in the blood, which can reduce your libido. in fact, SSRIs may be used "off-label" to treat men with premature ejaculation since it slows down their sexual excitement. Other culprits include prescription blood-pressure-lowering drugs, which can interfere with nerve signals, and antihistamines, which can dry up not only your runny nose but your vaginal lubrication as well, making sex uncomfortable.
What you can do: Talk to your doctor about your sex drive. He or she may be able to adjust your medication regimen. Your physician may switch you to a different antidepressant medication that may have less of an affect on or even improve sexual function. If your antihistamine is to blame, try using a water-based lubricant during sex.
3. Depression: This mood disorder is characterized by feelings of sadness, emptiness, worthlessness and fatigue that interfere with everyday life, as well as changes in sleep and eating habits. One of the hallmarks of depression is a lack of interest in sex. Although it's not fully understood why depression affects sex drive, part of the reason may be that not feeling good about yourself and your worth, in addition to having low energy levels, dampens the desire for pleasure
What you can do: Seek help right away, especially if you have thoughts of death or suicide. Exercise can help with mild to moderate depression by boosting mood, self-esteem and energy levels while improving blood flow, including to the genitals. For moderate to severe depression, professional counseling and prescription antidepressants can help. The irony is that some of the same medications used to treat depression can reduce your sex drive. Let your physician know if your lack of sex drive doesn't change (or worsens) with treatment.
Many things can interfere with sexual pleasure and function, from medical causes, such as certain medications, to psychological issues, such as relationship strife. Most often, sexual dysfunction is born out of a combination of the two. To help you pinpoint what's taken the sizzle out of your sex drive, we've pulled together 10 top libido killers and what your next steps should be to get your sex life back on track.
1. Oral contraceptives: The trouble with the pill is that what keeps you from getting pregnant—stopping ovulation—is also what can sap your sex drive. Your ovaries make hormones as well as eggs, and when they're put to rest for several weeks each month, hormone levels in your body drop. The second problem is that the pill causes the body to produce a protein called sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), which binds itself to sex hormones, in particular testosterone, essentially sucking them up. Testosterone plays a role in vaginal blood flow and sensitivity in the opening of the vagina, so lower levels of this hormone can lead to sexual problems. What's more, the thinking was that once you stopped the pill your body returned to its original settings, but research shows the pill's effect and the SHBG protein production can continue to be higher in former pill users than in non-pill users.
What you can do: If you've noticed your sex drive isn't what it used to be and suspect it may be because of your birth control pill, talk to your gynecologist. He or she may switch you to another type of pill (especially if you're on an ultra low dose, or 20 microgram pill, which is one of the biggest offenders) or a different birth control method, such as an IUD or condoms.
2. Medications: Antidepressants—in particular, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)—are some of the best-known offenders for low libido and impaired orgasm. Certain chemicals in the brain affect your libido. SSRIs raise serotonin in the blood, which can reduce your libido. in fact, SSRIs may be used "off-label" to treat men with premature ejaculation since it slows down their sexual excitement. Other culprits include prescription blood-pressure-lowering drugs, which can interfere with nerve signals, and antihistamines, which can dry up not only your runny nose but your vaginal lubrication as well, making sex uncomfortable.
What you can do: Talk to your doctor about your sex drive. He or she may be able to adjust your medication regimen. Your physician may switch you to a different antidepressant medication that may have less of an affect on or even improve sexual function. If your antihistamine is to blame, try using a water-based lubricant during sex.
3. Depression: This mood disorder is characterized by feelings of sadness, emptiness, worthlessness and fatigue that interfere with everyday life, as well as changes in sleep and eating habits. One of the hallmarks of depression is a lack of interest in sex. Although it's not fully understood why depression affects sex drive, part of the reason may be that not feeling good about yourself and your worth, in addition to having low energy levels, dampens the desire for pleasure
What you can do: Seek help right away, especially if you have thoughts of death or suicide. Exercise can help with mild to moderate depression by boosting mood, self-esteem and energy levels while improving blood flow, including to the genitals. For moderate to severe depression, professional counseling and prescription antidepressants can help. The irony is that some of the same medications used to treat depression can reduce your sex drive. Let your physician know if your lack of sex drive doesn't change (or worsens) with treatment.
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