Libido - Know Essentials Of It!

Most people remain perplexed between having too much or too less sex drive. Libido, more commonly referred to as sex drive, varies from one individual to another and also between the sex partners. Though stereotypes are always there, sex drive is immensely individual.

Moreover, age, relationship status, and stress levels can also cause a fluctuation in both the male and female sex drive. But, it is important to know whether the libido of the person is going right or is too low for his/her partner and if so, the reason behind it.

Understanding baseline libido

• When it comes to sex drive, “normal” is just an elastic word and it is dependent on the baseline libido of a person.
• Though it can be normal for a person to feel the sex drive, it is also absolutely normal for an asexual person to possess no libido at all. If there is a significant deviation from the baseline, then it is definitely a cause for concern. It is also common for couples to have a disparity between libidos.
• There is no actual normal amount of libido that everyone should possess since the sex drive is quite individualized.

Factors affecting the sex drive
If the person suffers from an abnormally low sex drive, then it is the cause of concern. However, one must bear in mind that these factors can affect different people differently. Here are some of the most common factors affecting the sex drive:

1. Underlying clinical conditions: Underlying psychological conditions and medical conditions, can suppress libido to such a level as if it does not exist. For instance, chronic illnesses and cancer can bog down a person’s desire for sex. Also, psychological issues can pave the way for reduced sex drive. Not only depression is a major cause of reduced sex drive, the treatment using antidepressants can also have a similar effect. Some women also have reduced sex drive after taking birth control pills.
2. Hormonal imbalances: Hormones are majorly the cause of almost everything and sexual desire is no exception to this. In some women, low androgen levels lead to reduced sex drive though there is no clear relation between the cause and effect. Some research indicates that some hormones, such as testosterone, can play a critical role in the modification of libido. It is important to mention here that a woman may have low libido in spite of having all hormones under normal range.

Most importantly, sex drive has a direct link with the relationship issues. If there is any stress in the relationship, then one or both partners may suffer from low libido. Further, it is advised to talk to an expert, if the person is suffering from an abnormal sex drive and if this is affecting the health of the individual, as it will help avoid any major health problems if any.