Inhibited desire is the most common sexual dysfunction, effecting one in three couples. 20% of married couples have a non-sexual marriage (being sexual less than ten times a year) and 30% of non-married-couples who have been together longer than two years have a non-sexual relationship. Desire problems can drain intimacy and good feelings from the relationship. When low sex drive is mentioned, the spouse with the problem is usually categorized as the wife. However, there are many husbands who aren't interested in sex either. Although men may not want to talk about having a low libido, not doing so may create anxiety and heartbreak in their wives. Since discrepancies in sexual desire can cause tremendous frustration, it is especially important for affection to be expressed when libido is low since it could be misinterpreted as indifference or dislike.

Of the three components that typically define a successful marriage - money, kids and sex - you only need two of them to have a relationship that survives. Some have gone beyond this to conclude that one of them has to be sex. Therefore, one partner's loss of interest can be more than frustrating, it can be marriage-threatening.

While impotence and loss of libido are two separate things, men who experience impotence commonly experience a decrease in libido over time.

Causes & Development