understand the causes and treatments

Lack of sexual desire in women is often confused with frigidity, but that term fell out of favor some time ago among the medical profession. “Previously, the word referred to a woman’s lack of orgasm or lack of sexual stimulation. There was talk of a ‘cold woman’, hence the name. Today we talk about anorgasmia, total or episodic lack of orgasm”, explains Sylvia Maria Marzano, urologist and sex therapist.

Even so, gynecologist Thais Helena Rocha Paes prefers to distinguish frigidity from anorgasmia. According to the specialist, the first could be defined as the absence or loss of sexual pleasure, and anorgasmia would be alteration or difficulty in reaching the final stage of the “human sexual response” after the normal phase of sexual excitement, the orgasm. Such steps would be: desire, excitement and orgasm or resolution.

causes oflack of sexual desire in women

There is a consensus among specialists that the interference of the psychological factor predominates among the causes of lack of sexual desire. “That’s because we’re talking about taboos, educational concepts established by parents in childhood, relationship problems worn out by routine, lack of intimacy, anxiety, depression, lack of erotic stimuli, etc.”, relates Thais Helena Rocha Paes.

In addition, the gynecologist points out that the consumption of drugs such as alcohol, psychotropic drugs and medications (mainly contraceptives, anxiolytics and antidepressants) can contribute to the condition.

“Untreated or decompensated hypothyroidism can also be among the causes, due to reduced metabolism in general. Although predictable at certain stages of a woman’s life, endogenous hormonal changes (puerperium and menopause) make sexual dysfunction common, but often transient,” he adds.

How to stimulate female pleasure?

Currently, there is a range of products in sex shops that promise to lubricate, vibrate, heat, cool, etc. There are multiple functions to stimulate female pleasure. “Lubrication is very important for a woman’s arousal, as it demonstrates how much she is prepared for the penetration. But it’s no use just prescribing the lubricant (which should be water gel, without dyes) thinking that, this way, the woman will have an orgasm. There are no miracles”, says Sylvia Maria Marzano.

According to the urologist and sex therapist, women need to be psychologically prepared for sexual intercourse and be able to dialogue with those they relate to, to know their timing, and not just to meet the other person’s will.

“If the gynecological and hormonal aspects are fine, sexual therapy is the best treatment, because the woman will start to know her own body, know how to have pleasure alone, and then have pleasure with someone else”, he concludes.