Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD)
Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) is sexual dysfunction. A person suffering from HSDD tends to lose interest and desire for sex or sexual activities and does not react to any sexual impulse. It is important to note that in order to be diagnosed with a hypoactive sexual desire disorder, the person should lack interest and desire for any sexual activities for quite a long period.
Hypoactive sexual desire disorder is more ubiquitous than people think.
Although anyone can be affected by this condition, generally, the cases of women suffering from Hypoactive sexual desire disorder are more common, especially in today’s time. It may be due to the present lifestyle and related stresses. Due to this, this condition is now also known as female sexual interest/arousal disorder. But sometimes people consider the condition of low libido in women as hypoactive sexual desire disorder. The two are different conditions and need different kinds of attention.
Causes of Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder
As sexual desire is a feeling that varies over time, it becomes complicated to understand it. In essence, even after many studies, the exact reason for the condition of HSDD is still unknown. Nevertheless, the specialists noticed a few reasons responsible for hypoactive sexual desire disorder. Some of them are listed below:
Underlying medical conditions
Some specific medical conditions have been identified as the reason for causing Hypoactive sexual desire disorder. It includes medical conditions such as diabetes, depression, and heart disease.
Certain Medications
Along with medical conditions, certain medications may also be a cause of Hypoactive sexual desire disorder, especially in women such as antidepressants, antipsychotics, and some oral contraceptives.
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse is one of the serious issues that can cause such sexual disorders. A sexually abused person often suffers from a lack of sexual activity due to the trauma which later results in such disorders.
Stress and Anxiety
People facing a stressed lifestyle or anxiety disorders usually experience negative effects in their sexual life. In some instances, it develops into sexual conditions such as HSDD.
How to diagnose Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder?
Firstly, to be diagnosed with Hypoactive sexual desire disorder, the person should have the symptoms persist for at least 6 months. Many times people confuse a low libido with Hypoactive sexual desire disorder, therefor the symptoms should be persistent enough effects to cause some notable distress.
Along with severe symptoms, the doctors also do a questionnaire called Decreased Sexual Desire Screener(DSDS) Test to confirm the diagnosis of HSDD.
Treatment of Hypoactive sexual desire disorder
The hypoactive sexual desire disorder can result in a distressed person, but the sigh of relief is that it can be cured. Hypoactive sexual desire disorder is a condition caused by psychological, social, and biological factors. It can’t be cured with any specific medication. The cure includes a timely and rightly followed routine of proper medications and psychotherapy.
Medications
Consulting a doctor will help you to choose the right medication for your disorder. Some of them are:
Addyi
It is used for treating specifically hypoactive sexual disorders in women with premenopause. One thing that should be considered before using it is, that low sexual desire is not caused due to any medical condition, drug intake or mental disorder, etc. Women should not have menopause.
Buspirone
It is a type of antidepressant, called anxiolytics. It is used in curing anxiety disorders, by changing some natural elements inside the brain. Sometimes its effect results in hypoactive sexual desire disorder.
Conclusion
The 21st century is an era of various innovations and technical upgrades. However, with progress in technology and changing lifestyles, the stress factor has also evolved. As a result, many stress-caused conditions of heart, mental, and sexual conditions are on a rise. Hypoactive sexual disorder is one such condition. However, several medical treatments and therapy are available. One of the suggested psychotherapy is sex therapy. This therapy aims to find and cure the fundamental cause of your sexual disorder. It is important to understand your condition before choosing the treatment.
