Where’s your Mojo
There is no magical equation on how to derive at what is too high a sex drive and what is too low a sex drive. When it comes to understanding your sexual desire, it’s all about the subjective experience. Knowing what feels “normal” for you and feeling out your own personal fluctuations. If you’re in a relationship, you might use your partner’s libido as a barometer to measure the highs and lows you feel, or you might be in touch with your peaks synching up with certain times of the month, for example. Either way, it’s important to keep in mind that both women and men can experience fluctuations in sexual desire; some of that can be attributed to biological factors like hormone shifts, while some of those rises and falls can coincide with emotional or psychological changes in your life.
Let’s think about what a libido is and where it is located.
Historically speaking, the libido used to be exclusively associated with the sex drive. While this is partially true in today’s world, there are now many other factors that come into play when trying to locate the libido. In terms of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud defined the libido as the energy created by the survival and sexual instincts. Not located in one particular area (although it is most likely located in the brain, as Freud believed it was part of the unconscious), the libido is the driving force of all sexual behavior. The libido is the source of our wants and urges, as well as the epicentre of all pleasure-seeking impulses.
Departing from our psychoanalytic father, the libido has taken on new meaning as more well-rounded research has been done in the past century. We now understand the sex drive to have more than just conscious and unconscious motivations and desires. One’s interest in sex is a combination of factors from, as mentioned earlier, biological, psychological, physiological, emotional, and social. Not to mention that other factors can play a role: illness, medication, say nutrition, and other lifestyle habits. Everything affects everything and back around again.
Symptoms of low sex drive aren’t as straightforward as you may think. No interest in any type of sexual activity is one major symptom, however it is not the only symptom as a low libido extends to sexual fantasies and thoughts as well. Having too high a sex drive can also be an issue for some, especially if it is getting in the way of your work, ability to focus, or daily activity, or, if you are in a relationship and your partner’s sex drive does not match your own.
Think about your libido. Have questions? Want to talk it out? Call or email ELNA Sexual Wellness and let’s get the conversation going.
