Monday, February 20, 2012

How Mental Health Affects Sexual Health

Yes, it is true... sex is not just about being physically fit and having a great body... the brain too plays a major role.
However, this fact is often ignored and most people tend to focus only on the physical nature of sex. They spend their time trying to become more physically fit or looking for enhancements that will help them perform better during sex. Very few men and women understand that mental health is as important as physical health when it comes to sex.
Here are some of the ways in which mental health affects sexual health:
• If you are not feeling well mentally, you are stressed, have anxiety or are depressed- you are likely to lack proper chemistry in your body that is absolutely essential for good sexual health. Mentally unhealthy people are likely to have an imbalance of chemicals and hormones in the body that can lead to poor sexual health.
• If you are stressed or anxious, you will not be able to relax during intercourse. This will lead to poor libido or problems like erectile dysfunction even when you are physically fit. So, if you want to enjoy your sex life, you need to have a calm, peaceful mind.
• A healthy brain can fantasize, come up with creative sexual ideas and anticipate pleasure during sex. However, if your mental health is poor, you will not be able visualize these scenes, which may leave your sex life dull or even non-existent.
• People suffering from poor mental health are often on drugs to treat their problem. Many of these drugs help you sleep better or treat anxiety. These drugs tend to leave the patients dull, uninterested or even averse to any kind of sexual activity. This can even have a long-term negative effect on the sexual health of the patients.
It is important to seek medical advice to resolve issues related to poor mental health affecting sexual health of patients. Sometimes, a doctor may lower the dosage of medicines, counsel the patients or recommend relaxation or breathing techniques to improve their sexual health.