Psychology of Human Sexual Behavior

Psychology of Human Sexual Behavior

Many of us that Sex is biological drive but do we really know that it is equally important as hunger, thirst and sleep are?  We have heard people talking about reduced appetite or about lost sleep. But we hardly ever hear someone voicing about sexual dysfunction.  Human sexuality simply can be defined as the way someone is attracted sexually towards person of the opposite sex or to the same sex or to both.

Human sexual behavior is primarily motivated by biological urge but psychological component is always overlooked.  But research has proved that human sexuality is largely influenced by Psychological factors.  Individual personality has much to do with it.  How one has acquired knowledge about sex behaviors has vital impact on one’s attitude towards it. The culture has powerful impact on one’s attitude, belief about sex and what consider as appropriate sexual behavior.

According to Sigmund Freud, human psyche has three important gears namely id, ego and superego.  The id part contains all of ours impulses which are sexual and aggressive in nature. Superego is nothing but our conscientiousness about what is right and what is wrong. It’s like a strict parents or teachers while id resembles to naughty kid who wants immediate gratification of its impulses. But the strict teacher may not always allow id to operate its desire. In this case we have another operating system called Ego which finds out middle way to satisfy id impulses but within the framework set by superego morals. Human sexual impulses are located primarily in Id component. On the other hand what we learn about right or wrong, cultural aspects etc forms part of our superego. As a result we always find conflicts between satisfactions of our sexual desire versus delay of the same. Sometime we see people who are very liberal in their sexual behaviors towards others or many times we notice people doing crimes which are sexual offenses. In those cases their id system is so powerful that they have less control over what they can delay. On contrary, we also come across with people who have restrained themselves against sexual urges. So it can be said that their Superego is severe.  Psychological distress can occur with either of these two extremes.

What are sexual Dysfunctions?

   Sexual dysfunctions are most common sexual disorders. These problems become critical and psychiatric treatment is needed when

•   those are persistent,

• they cause significant distress to either individual or both the partners

•  they of course interfere with people’s significant relationships.

Sexual dysfunctions can have host of biological causes, including undiagnosed diabetes, drug use, and hormonal abnormalities.  Possible psychological causes include relationship concerns, traumatic experiences, irrational beliefs and attitude towards sex and an upbringing in culture or society that devalues sex.   When sexual dysfunction has biological cause then treating that cause may reduce the problem. Psychological treatments of sexual dysfunctions involve focuses on the individual concerns and possible conflicts between partners.  Sex therapy can help people to reduce their inhibitions about sex and help then to fully enjoy their sexual life.

Psychological causes of Sexual dysfunctions:

·         Depression lowers person’s sexual desire.

·         Irrational beliefs about sex as people who have been taught that sex is “sin” or “dirty” or “disgustful” etc tend to have negative attitude towards it. Therefore, they are less able to make sex as pleasurable act.  Little awareness about one’s own body, fear of embarrassment, a sense of shame about sex, poor body image etc can affect one’s sexual performance.

·         Performance Anxiety:  People are “worried” so much about whether they are going to be aroused and enjoy sexual intimacy that their worries affect their “Performances”. These worried thoughts are so distressing that they are unable to focus on the act and as a result they are not able to achieve pleasure. Sometimes this anxiety results in people achieving the orgasm i.e. the climax of sexual excitement too early e.g. premature ejaculation.

·         Attitude towards practice of Masturbation can also have huge impact on one’s sexual life.

·         Partners may have conflict about their sexual activists.

·         Traumatic life experiences such as loss of loved ones, diagnosis of severe illness in near dear ones, unemployment, sexual abuse, physical abuse etc may have direct or indirect impact on one’s sexual life.

Occasional problems with sexual functioning are very common. They are considered abnormal only when they are distressing, affecting one’s overall functioning i.e. occupational or social and affecting interpersonal relationships etc.

So if you notice these with self or with others, DON’T FORGET TO VISIT A PSYCHIATRIST FOR MEDICINE AND PSYCHOLOGIST FOR THERAPY AS WELL AS COUNSELING

Regards

Swapnil C. Pange

Manaswa