Low libido describes a decreased interest in sexual activity. It's common to lose interest in sex from time to time, and levels of libido vary throughout life. It's also normal that your interest doesn't match that of your partner sometimes. However, low libido over a long period of time may be a cause for concern for some people.
Another medication that can stop sexual desire is finasteride (Propecia, Proscar, Entadfi). It is usually prescribed to treat male pattern baldness or noncancerous prostate growth (doctors call it benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH). Relationship problems are among the most common causes of loss of libido. For help and advice, you may find it helpful to contact the relationship support charity Relationships Scotland.
Stress, anxiety and exhaustion can be all-consuming and have a big impact on your happiness. If you feel that you are constantly tired, stressed or anxious, you may need to make some lifestyle changes or talk to your family doctor for advice. Depression is very different from simply feeling unhappy, miserable, or fed up for a short time. It is a serious illness in which you may feel extreme sadness that can last for a long time.
These feelings are severe enough to interfere with your daily life, including your sex life. Especially older men can develop low testosterone levels, which can lead to fatigue, depression and reduced sexual desire. For example, SSRIs, a common class of medications prescribed for both anxiety and depression, are known for their sexual side effects, including loss of libido. Low libido is quite common in women, and there are many reasons why you might experience it at some point in your life.
Jayadevan says she often sees young people at the beginning of their careers, whose loss of libido is due to the long hours they put into their jobs. Low libido, often referred to as low sexual desire, may be a symptom of another medical condition, but it can also be a medical condition called hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD). Loss of libido (sexual desire) is a common problem affecting one in five men, and even more women, at some point in their lives. Most antidepressants, antipsychotics, and psychiatric medications in general can have a negative impact on your libido.
For women, a doctor may prescribe estrogen therapy for low libido due to menopause or other hormonal causes, although research has not yet proven effective for this symptom. As women begin to approach menopause, levels of estrogen, the female hormone, begin to decline, which can affect libido. However, an unexpected loss of libido, especially when it lasts a long time or keeps coming back, can also indicate an underlying personal, medical, or lifestyle problem, which may bother both partners in a relationship. If necessary, they can review your medication and change your prescription to something that is less likely to affect your libido.
Your libido is driven in part by your overall physical health, including your genes and hormones such as testosterone. Long-term (chronic) medical conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity, can also have a negative effect on libido. Both men and women may have a low libido or reduced sexual desire for a variety of different reasons, such as medical conditions, hormone deficiency, or mental health problems. Talk to your family doctor or local contraceptive (or family planning) clinic if you're concerned that your birth control method is causing a loss of libido.
This is a form of couples therapy in which you and your partner can talk about any sexual or emotional problems that may be contributing to your loss of libido. .
