Illnesses such as arthritis, diabetes, thyroid conditions and cancer can all affect sexual desire and can often make sexual intercourse painful, too. There are many reasons you might experience a change in your sexual desire - or what's commonly called a low sex drive or low libido. ‘There are a plethora of treatments available and treatment depends on the specific cause,’ she adds. They’ll talk to you about possible causes, such as medication you’re taking, family illness and psychological well-being. If your sexual dysfunction persists, Lakhani suggests seeing your GP. 'It’s normal not to be in the mood for sexual activity sometimes, however if these symptoms happen regularly and significantly affect your sex life then they are classified as sexual dysfunction,’ she says. And although men, women and people of all genders and sexualities can experience sexual concerns, Lakhani says the chance of experiencing some form of dysfunction increases with age. Put simply, it’s when something stops you from wanting or enjoying sexual activity. Is sexual dysfunction sabotaging your pleasure plans? ‘Sexual dysfunction is a term used to refer to any problem occurring at any stage of the sexual response cycle, from excitement to plateau, to orgasm to resolution, that prevents the person from experiencing satisfaction from the sexual activity they’re taking part in,’ explains Dr Shirin Lakhani, an intimate health specialist at The Cranley Clinic. 'As not enjoying sex can be upsetting for some people or for their partners, it’s important to understand some of the reasons why, and what, if anything, they can do about it.’
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‘There are lots of reasons why some people might not enjoy sex, temporarily or long-term,' says Dr Becky Spelman, psychologist and clinical director of Private Therapy Clinic. In reality it’s actually really common for someone to simply not enjoy sex. People who find sex painful, disappointing, anxiety-inducing or who simply lack interest in sex altogether are still seen by many as unusual. We speak to the experts about sexual dysfunction, sexual desire (or lack thereof) and what to do if you're just not feeling it between the sheets: Is it normal to not enjoy sex? But there is still one sexual taboo left to tackle: women who don’t enjoy sex. Thanks to the sex positivity movement and open conversations around pleasure, the stigma surrounding female sexuality is finally being challenged - and women who like sex are no longer widely thought of as promiscuous.