How Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can impact your sex life

About OCD

OCD is a chronic anxiety disorder that manifests itself as intrusive, repetitive thoughts which can be very disturbing to the person who is experiencing the thoughts. These thoughts can pop up anytime and anywhere, and if left untreated, can wreak havoc in many aspects of your life. When anxiety strikes, compulsive thoughts take over such as checking over and over again if the stove is off, or getting in and out of bed to check that you have locked all the doors. These are some of the worrying thoughts that may afflict you on a day to day basis, but there are many more behaviours and habits that may repeatedly trouble you.

For example, your relationship with your partner may be affected by OCD. Research has shown that one of the key ingredients for a healthy romantic relationship is an active and satisfying sex life. Studies also suggest that folk with OCD report high levels of problems with sexual functioning.

The link between OCD and sexual dysfunction

Because OCD is an anxiety disorder, it is mainly rooted in the subconscious mind, and compulsive behaviour is often set off by certain triggers.

Here are some of the more common sexual problems people with OCD may experience:

• A low desire for sex
• Unreasonable dissatisfaction with your sexual partner
• Irrational fear of having sex
• High levels of revulsion when thinking about sexual activities, especially if you have obsessions related to germs or contamination within bodily secretions. This may affect women more than men, and cause them to avoid sex whenever it is possible

These problems, if not dealt with, have the potential to completely destroy relationships. OCD has no bounds, and the intrusive obsessive thoughts can show up anywhere. The bedroom, or any other place you want to have sex, is not off-limits.

Coping with OCD and sexual problems

Treatment for OCD has been found to be very effective in most cases. Depending on the severity of the OCD, there are a variety of medications available, and in severe cases, meds are prescribed to deal with the underlying anxiety disorder – of which OCD is a symptom.

Studies have indicated that obsessions and compulsions are deeply rooted in the subconscious mind, and have recommended that hypnotherapy is a key way to effectively help you to manage stress, anxiety, and reduce obsessive thoughts.

Hypnotherapy can access the subconscious mind and eliminate the obsessive fears that have built up about sex, such as the actual sexual act, and issues with a low sex drive. Hypnosis can help to create a new mindset, put anxiety on the back burner, and revitalise your sex life by showing you how to cope with triggers that would formerly have set you off on an OCD trip. With a new outlook on life, you will go steadily from tension to tranquillity.

We can help

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