sexual problems

The amazing thing about sexual problems is nobody wants to talk about them. So everyone who has one thinks they're the only one.

You Are Not Alone
Millions of Americans experience common sexual problems, such as erectile dysfunction or dryness of the vagina. Many of these problems, while embarrassing to talk about with your doctor, respond well to certain medications. With the surge in Viagra sales, it is no wonder this is one of the most common difficulties experienced in life. Because it is an embarrassing subject, many people feel alone in their problems, even more alone than people who experience other, similar types of problems.

You Are Not to Blame
Sexual problems are often the result of simple learned behaviors and associations we make over years of conditioning. Other people's sexual dysfunction is related to a specific, diagnosable medical cause. Whatever the cause, you are not to blame. Sexual dysfunction is usually not caused by parental upbringing or by some conscious desire to have difficulties in the sexual arena. And if it is a problem you've been grappling with for years, it is not likely to just go away or cure itself overnight.

What Do I Do Now?
This information is here to act as a comprehensive guide to help you better understand sexual problems and find out more information about it on your own. I encourage you to learn more about your sexual dysfunction and some of the treatment options available to you, ranging from medication to behavior-oriented or couples psychotherapy.

Criteria below is summarized from: American Psychiatric Association. (1994).
Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fourth edition. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

Female Orgasmic Disorder:
Persistent or recurrent delay in, or absence of orgasm following a normal sexual excitement phase. Women exhibit wide variability in the type or intensity of stimulation that triggers orgasm. The diagnosis of Female Orgasmic Disorder should be based on the clinician's judgment that the woman's orgasmic capacity is less than would be reasonable for her age, sexual experience, and the adequacy of sexual stimulation she receives.

The disturbance causes marked distress or interpersonal difficulty.

The orgasmic dysfunction is not better accounted for by another mental disorder (except another sexual dysfunction) and is not due exclusively to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition.

Male Orgasmic Disorder:
Persistent or recurrent delay in, or absence of, orgasm following a normal sexual excitement phase during sexual activity that the clinician, taking into account the person's age, judges to be adequate in focus, intensity, and duration.

The disturbance causes marked distress or interpersonal difficulty.

The orgasmic dysfunction is not better accounted for by another mental disorder (except another sexual dysfunction) and is not due exclusively to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition.

Fetishism:
In psychology, the term applies to sexual urges and fantasies that persistently involve the use of nonliving objects by themselves or, at times, the use of such objects with a sexual partner. Common fetishes include feet, shoes, and articles of intimate female apparel.

Symptoms:
Over a period of at least 6 months, recurrent, intense sexually arousing fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors involving the use of nonliving objects (e.g., female undergarments). The fantasies, sexual urges, or behaviors cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

The fetish objects are not limited to articles of female clothing used in cross-dressing (as in Transvestic Fetishism) or devices designed for the purpose of tactile genital stimulation (e.g., a vibrator).