Many people experience a loss of libido at some point in life. This is usually a bad thing – it can be worrisome to notice that your sex drive has disappeared, and if you’re in a relationship, losing your libido can also cause problems with your partner.
There are many things that can cause a low or nonexistent libido, and some of them are relatively easy to fix.
If anything on this list sounds like you, it could be the source of your problem.
Lifestyle Factors
Unhealthy lifestyle habits can kill your libido. Some of the biggest risk factors are drinking alcohol excessively, smoking cigarettes, and using street drugs.
But even if you don’t do any of these things, a sedentary lifestyle or a poor diet could still be at the root of your low libido.
Try eating clean and exercising regularly for a while, and see if your sex drive comes back.
Medications
A number of common medications – including some types of painkillers, anti-depressants, and birth control pills can cause a low libido. If your sex drive disappeared after you started taking a new prescription, talk to your doctor about it.
They may be able to prescribe you a different type of medicine.
Hormonal Changes
Hormones have a lot to do with libido.
Low testosterone is notorious for causing a low sex drive in both men and women. Many women also experience a low sex drive when they’re going through menopause or when they’ve recently given birth.
Exercise is one simple way both men and women can increase their testosterone to healthy levels. If you’re still concerned about your hormone levels, it’s best to talk to your doctor.
Emotional Factors
It’s hard to want to be intimate if you’re not feeling close to your partner emotionally.
Relationship problems, fear of pregnancy or STDs, and high levels of stress can all quash a person’s sex drive. If you think relationship issues might be lowering your libido, consider working through the issue with couples counseling.
Using reliable birth control and locating STD testing locations near you can also help relieve any anxieties you have about sex.
Body Image Issues
It’s hard to feel sexy when you don’t feel good about your body.
But remember, your partner wouldn’t be with you if they didn’t find you attractive, so they’re probably far less critical of your body than you are.
If you have persistent body image issues, therapy and a healthy lifestyle can help you overcome them.
If your libido has disappeared lately, don’t panic – it’s probably not gone for good. There are lots of reasons people might experience a low sex drive, and most of them are fixable.
Give the suggestions on this list a try, and if they don’t work, see your doctor to figure out what’s causing your low libido.
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