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Symptoms

Diagnosis

Causes

Treatment

Coping

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At a Glance

A Note on LanguageThe term HSDD is used for women; for men, the diagnosis is male hypoactive sexual desire disorder, abbreviated MHSDD. Because there is no different specific diagnosis fornonbinaryorgender nonconformingpeople, and because treatment for MHSDD is similar to that for HSDD, in discussing this topic, we will include people of all genders who deal with hypoactive sexual desire.

A Note on Language

The term HSDD is used for women; for men, the diagnosis is male hypoactive sexual desire disorder, abbreviated MHSDD. Because there is no different specific diagnosis fornonbinaryorgender nonconformingpeople, and because treatment for MHSDD is similar to that for HSDD, in discussing this topic, we will include people of all genders who deal with hypoactive sexual desire.

Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder Symptoms

Hypoactive sexual desire disorder may look at a glance likeexperiencing low libido, something that occurs for many people at varying points throughout life. But it’s more serious than a passing waning of interest in sex or sexual expression. A diagnosis of HSDD centers around the persistence of symptoms for a duration of six months or more. The following are common HSDD symptoms.

Diagnosis of HSDD

There isn’t a single clinical test that can be used to diagnose HSDD. However, there are numerous ways that a practitioner can diagnose the disorder. In order for this to occur, you will likely have to speak up about it first.

By sharing what you’ve been experiencing with your doctor or other provider, you’ll be giving them valuable information to know where to begin with testing.

Blood tests can help determine the cause of your HSDD. Your doctor may test your hormone levels, including testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen, and your thyroid hormone function. They may also look to rule out underlying causes of HSDD such as diabetes.

Causes of Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder

There are a variety of causes of HSDD. Here are the most common ones.

Hormone Replacement Therapy

The hormones given to trans women are notorious for causing a lowered sex drive, sometimes to the point of HSDD. This is because estrogen tends to work against one’s sex drive, while testosterone increases it, and HRT for trans women generally involves taking estrogen.

In studies, over 62% of women have experienced a decrease in sexual desire due to HRT, and 22% were diagnosed with HSDD.

Menopause

HSDD occurs frequently in women who have gone throughmenopause.

Stress and Anxiety

Research has shown that there is a significant relationship between increasedstress and lowered libido. If you have been undergoing a prolonged period of stress and/or life problems, that may be the cause of your HSDD.

Dysphoria and Body Image

The feeling of not being comfortable in your body can lead a person to feel less sexual in it. Both genderdysphoriaandbody imagechallenges can cause HSDD.

Sexual Abuse and Trauma

Rape trauma syndromeis a form of PSTD that can present after sexual assault, and it can persist for years. it can make a person fearful or avoidant of close contact with others, both in sexual and nonsexual contexts.

Medication

Numerous categories of medications are known for causing sexual dysfunction and lowered libido. This can persist if a person has to stay on the medication indefinitely or for a long period of time.

Medications that might affect sex drive include antidepressants, antipsychotics, and estrogen-based contraceptives.

HSDD Treatment Options

To treat HSDD, you may have to try more than one thing. Here are some of the ways it’s managed.

Patience

HSDD can sometimes go away on its own. If you’re in the process of adjusting to a medication, for example, your body may eventually adapt well enough that your previous desire levels return.

If you are experiencing HSDD due to extended life stressors, your interest in sex can come back once those problems have been resolved or moved on from.

Taking a medication that is known to increase sex drive may be beneficial. There are a number of medications that are employed for this purpose.

Testosterone can increase sex drive, so it is an option for some people. It would be counterintuitive for trans women, though, since their gender-affirming care typically seeks to minimize testosterone production. It may, though, be helpful for women moving through menopause.

There are also medications that are not comprised solely of hormones, but will affect them. These include Vyleesiandboth of which were created to treat HSDD, and anO Shot, which is specifically for people with vaginas.

Lifestyle Changes

There are some lifestyle changes that can have a positive impact on HSDD, though trying them may be more of a trial and error process than something as concrete as taking a medication.

Exercisecan help to balance hormones, in addition to helping the body produce more feel-good chemicals.

Communicatingwith your partner(s) about your experience with HSDD can take the emotional charge out of it, and help normalize it, which may lead to less stress and anxiety around the problem.

Therapy

There are multiple forms of therapy that can be useful for HSDD, as just the act of talking openly about a problem can help to resolve it. A person might benefit the most from sex therapy, which can be conducted in person oronline.

Asex therapistcan help you work through why you are experiencing HSDD, as well as help you discern what behavioral or life changes can be made that could help the problem resolve.

For those who are experiencing HSDD because of sexual assault or trauma, finding atrauma-informed therapistmay be the most beneficial.

How to Cope With Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder

Living with HSDD can be frustrating, and it can make you feel alienated from your loved ones—especially if sexual connection is a big part of your relationship with any of them. Know that HSDD can be resolved and is not necessarily a permanent condition. To obtain the help you need, be forthright with your medical practitioners to enable them to help you as comprehensively as possible.

If you have been the victim of rape or assault, help is available.The National Sexual Assault Helplinehas support via phone or internet chat 24/7. They can speak to you in English or Spanish, and are a valuable resource.

8 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.The Sexual Psychophysiology Laboratory.Hypoactive sexual desire disorder.University of Colorado OB-GYN.Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD).Deutsch M.Overview of feminizing hormone therapy. UCSF Transgender Care.West SL.Prevalence of low sexual desire and hypoactive sexual desire disorder in a nationally representative sample of us women.Archives of Internal Medicine.2008;168(13):1441.Yazdanpanahi Z, Nikkholgh M, Akbarzadeh M, Pourahmad S.Stress, anxiety, depression, and sexual dysfunction among postmenopausal women in Shiraz, Iran,2015.J Family Community Med. 2018;25(2):82–7. doi:10.4103/jfcm.JFCM_117_17U.S. Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves new treatment for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in premenopausal women. June 21, 2019U.S. Food and Drug Administration.ADDYI (flibanserin) tablets.August 2015Maseroli E, Rastrelli G, Di Stasi V, et al.Physical activity and female sexual dysfunction: A lot helps, but not too much.J Sex Med. 2021;18(7):1217-1229. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2021.04.004

8 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.The Sexual Psychophysiology Laboratory.Hypoactive sexual desire disorder.University of Colorado OB-GYN.Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD).Deutsch M.Overview of feminizing hormone therapy. UCSF Transgender Care.West SL.Prevalence of low sexual desire and hypoactive sexual desire disorder in a nationally representative sample of us women.Archives of Internal Medicine.2008;168(13):1441.Yazdanpanahi Z, Nikkholgh M, Akbarzadeh M, Pourahmad S.Stress, anxiety, depression, and sexual dysfunction among postmenopausal women in Shiraz, Iran,2015.J Family Community Med. 2018;25(2):82–7. doi:10.4103/jfcm.JFCM_117_17U.S. Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves new treatment for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in premenopausal women. June 21, 2019U.S. Food and Drug Administration.ADDYI (flibanserin) tablets.August 2015Maseroli E, Rastrelli G, Di Stasi V, et al.Physical activity and female sexual dysfunction: A lot helps, but not too much.J Sex Med. 2021;18(7):1217-1229. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2021.04.004

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

The Sexual Psychophysiology Laboratory.Hypoactive sexual desire disorder.University of Colorado OB-GYN.Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD).Deutsch M.Overview of feminizing hormone therapy. UCSF Transgender Care.West SL.Prevalence of low sexual desire and hypoactive sexual desire disorder in a nationally representative sample of us women.Archives of Internal Medicine.2008;168(13):1441.Yazdanpanahi Z, Nikkholgh M, Akbarzadeh M, Pourahmad S.Stress, anxiety, depression, and sexual dysfunction among postmenopausal women in Shiraz, Iran,2015.J Family Community Med. 2018;25(2):82–7. doi:10.4103/jfcm.JFCM_117_17U.S. Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves new treatment for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in premenopausal women. June 21, 2019U.S. Food and Drug Administration.ADDYI (flibanserin) tablets.August 2015Maseroli E, Rastrelli G, Di Stasi V, et al.Physical activity and female sexual dysfunction: A lot helps, but not too much.J Sex Med. 2021;18(7):1217-1229. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2021.04.004

The Sexual Psychophysiology Laboratory.Hypoactive sexual desire disorder.

University of Colorado OB-GYN.Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD).

Deutsch M.Overview of feminizing hormone therapy. UCSF Transgender Care.

West SL.Prevalence of low sexual desire and hypoactive sexual desire disorder in a nationally representative sample of us women.Archives of Internal Medicine.2008;168(13):1441.

Yazdanpanahi Z, Nikkholgh M, Akbarzadeh M, Pourahmad S.Stress, anxiety, depression, and sexual dysfunction among postmenopausal women in Shiraz, Iran,2015.J Family Community Med. 2018;25(2):82–7. doi:10.4103/jfcm.JFCM_117_17

U.S. Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves new treatment for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in premenopausal women. June 21, 2019

U.S. Food and Drug Administration.ADDYI (flibanserin) tablets.August 2015

Maseroli E, Rastrelli G, Di Stasi V, et al.Physical activity and female sexual dysfunction: A lot helps, but not too much.J Sex Med. 2021;18(7):1217-1229. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2021.04.004

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