What Are Orgasmic Disorders?
An orgasmic disorder is a condition where the affected person is unable to reach orgasms. While both men and women can get orgasmic disorders, this condition is more common in women. Orgasmic disorders can cause distress and confusion amongst patients, if not diagnosed. It can be difficult to determine the underlying cause of orgasmic dysfunction. Women may have difficulty reaching orgasm due to physical, emotional, or psychological factors. Contributing factors might include:
- older age
- medical conditions such as diabetes
- history of gynecological surgeries such as a hysterectomy
- the use of certain medications, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for depression
- cultural or religious beliefs
- shyness
- guilt about enjoying sexual activity
- history of sexual abuse
- mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety
- stress
- poor self-esteem
- relationship issues, such as unresolved conflicts or lack of trust
Sometimes, a combination of these factors can make achieving an orgasm difficult. The inability to orgasm can lead to distress, which may make it even harder to achieve orgasm in the future.
Symptoms of Orgasmic Disorders
The main symptom of orgasmic dysfunction is the inability to achieve sexual climax. Other symptoms include having unsatisfying orgasms and taking longer than normal to reach climax.
Women with orgasmic dysfunction may have difficulty achieving orgasm during sexual intercourse or masturbation.
Types of Orgasmic Disorders
There are two main types of orgasmic disorders present in women – the primary and secondary female orgasmic disorder.
- A patient who suffers from the primary female orgasmic disorder has never experienced an orgasm in her life.
- A patient suffering from secondary female orgasmic disorder might have experienced an orgasm in the past, but they are no longer able to do so, due to severe trauma or undergoing a harrowing sexual incident such as rape.
How Is Orgasmic Disorder Treated?
At Counseling Center For Sexual Health a AASECT certified sex therapist will help you and your partner work through any disagreements or conflicts you may be having. This can resolve the issues that are occurring both in the relationship and in the bedroom. Interviewing of the couple by a qualified sex therapist is a helpful way to elicit useful information about the situation.
Treatment for orgasmic dysfunction depends on the category of the dysfunction. For instance, different approaches are used for women who have never reached orgasm and for women who have been able to achieve orgasm situationally. Similarly, depending upon the origins of anorgasmia, treatment strategies will be vary. For example, some women might need medical intervention due to general medical conditions. Others, who have been incapable of communicating sexual desires to their partners are taught communication and assertiveness skills.
If you need more information about sexual health counseling call us at (805) 308-9800, or leave us a message on our website.