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Coping and support
By Mayo Clinic staffAt each stage of your life, you may experience changes in sexual desire, arousal and satisfaction. Accepting these changes and exploring new aspects of your sexuality during times of transition contribute to positive sexual experiences.
Understanding your body and what makes for a healthy sexual response can help, too. The more you and your partner know about the physical aspects of your body and how it functions, the better able you'll be to find ways to ease sexual difficulties. Ask your doctor about how things like aging, illnesses, pregnancy, menopause and medicines might affect your sex life.
Sexual response often has as much to do with your feelings for your partner as it does with physical sexual stimuli. For women, emotional intimacy tends to be an essential prelude to sexual intimacy. Show affection and communicate openly with your partner about your feelings — it can help you reconnect and discover each other again.
To learn more about your body and how to communicate with your partner, check out these books:
- "Resurrecting Sex: Solving Sexual Problems & Revolutionizing Your Relationship," by David Schnarch, Ph.D.
- "What Your Mother Never Told You About Sex," by Hilda Hutcherson, M.D.
- "The Elusive Orgasm: A Woman's Guide to Why She Can't and How She Can Orgasm," by Vivienne Cass, Ph.D.
- McVary KT. Sexual dysfunction. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aid=2866618. Accessed March 30, 2010.
- Brotto LA, et al. Women's sexual desire and arousal disorders. Journal of Sexual Medicine. 2010;7:586.
- Shifren JL, et al. Sexual problems and distress in United States women. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2008;112:970.
- Frank JE, et al. Diagnosis and treatment of female sexual dysfunction. American Family Physician. 2008;77:635.
- Basson R. Women's sexuality and sexual dysfunction. In: Gibbs RS, et al. Danforth's Obstetrics and Gynecology. 10th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2008:742.
- Shifren JL. Sexual dysfunction in women: Epidemiology, risk factors, and evaluation. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 30, 2010.
- Shifren JL. Sexual dysfunction in women: Management. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 30, 2010.
- Basson R, et al. Efficacy and safety of sildenafil citrate in women with sexual dysfunction associated with female arousal disorder. Journal of Women's Health & Gender-Based Medicine. 2002;11:367.
- Nurnberg HG, et al. Sildenafil treatment of women with antidepressant-associated sexual dysfunction. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2008;300:395.
- Nijland EA, et al. Tibolone and transdermal E2/NETA for the treatment of female sexual dysfunction in naturally menopausal women. Journal of Sexual Medicine. 2008;5:646.
- Kammerer-Doak D, et al. Female sexual function and dysfunction. Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics of North America. 2008;35:169.
- Brotto LA, et al. A mindfulness-based group psychoeducational intervention targeting sexual arousal disorder in women. Journal of Sexual Medicine. 2008;5:1646.
- Brotto LA, et al. Eastern approaches for enhancing women's sexuality: Mindfulness, acupuncture, and yoga. Journal of Sexual Medicine. 2008;5:2741.
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