Your sex drive may not be the problem
Intoxication
Drinking and taking drugs may feel good in the moment, but they can damage our libidos. Intoxicants make achieving and maintaining an erection and producing enough natural vaginal lubrication difficult, if not impossible. Plus, once you're tipsy, you'll find it's much harder to reach orgasm. Chronic drug and alcohol use can eventually supress your sex drive altogether and may be a sign of untreated depression.
Stress
Stress is a common cause of sexual dysfunction, but it does more than just damage your love life. Chronic stress is linked to mental health disorders, heart disease, digestive ailments and even accelerated aging. Who wants to make whoopee when they're feeling the weight of the world on their shoulders? Learning how to de-stress won't just save your love life, it can literally save your actual life, too.
Sickness
Any time we're dealing with long term health issues, our other priorities (like sex) fall by the wayside. Whether you have regular migraines, digestive issues, reproductive diseases or something even more troubling, getting "in the mood" can be difficult. Make sure to communicate your love and affection for your partner and reach out to your doctor to discuss possible options that can give you back a little bit of your sexual spark.
Anxiety
Anxiety of any kind is bad, but anxiety over your sexual abilities can totally kill your libido. If your mind starts to race with worries as soon as the mood heats up, you may need to develop skills to slow your thoughts and stay in the moment. Meditation, mindfulness and, if neccesary, a trip to the doctor can help derail your anxiety and keep your libido on track.
Medications
A major culprit in sex-drive decline happens to be hiding in our medicine cabinets. Antidepressants, anti-anxiety meds, beta blockers, pain pills and more are all known to decrease our libido. If you're taking regular medication and find your sex drive is stalled, talk to your doctor about possible options or alternative treatments to get your engines revving.
Hormones
Estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and more all play a pivotal role in maintaining a healthy sex drive. A drop in testosterone could result in a lower libido for men, as could declining estrogen in women. If you suspect your hormones are out of whack, your doctor can help test your levels and, if necessary, develop a treatment plan.
