Recognizing and Talking About Your Sex Drive Changes
Talk With Your Doctor for Help
Don't be afraid to ask your doctor for help if you aren’t coping. It might be that counseling or medication or a mixture of both could restore the real you.
Visiting the doctor is your first stop for any physical problems of course. There is no need to suffer in silence and if embarrassment is your problem always remember they are trained to listen without judgment and have almost certainly heard or seen it all before.
If you really can’t face speaking about your problems, you could write down a list of symptoms and hand them over, or brief your partner to speak on your behalf during the appointment.
What to Do With an Increase in Libido
For the women who find their libido suddenly surges it’s equally important to keep communicating with your partner who might be bewildered by your sudden sexual demands.
Sometimes the change in libido is hormone related, but sometimes it can be a combination of factors. The sudden realization that birth control is not an issue or as children start to become more independent, the joy of less hands-on work changing diapers and making meals and more time for romance.
Maintaining Intimacy Despite Menopause
Vaginal dryness can be easily treated with lubricants such as K-Y Jelly and/or moisturizers like Replena. Hormone replacement may also be recommended in some cases, while psychotherapy can help with stress and mood problems associated with menopause.
Positive Thinking
Gynecologist and bestselling author Christiane Northrup, MD, suggests that you can reignite your sex drive without other treatments because the brain is the most prominent sex organ in the body. Sometimes it just takes a conscious choice to maintain intimacy, she says.
Northrup explains the importance of nitric oxide (NO), a compound that is involved in erectile function, for women. In menopausal women, nitric oxide is low, and by boosting this chemical, you can improve your sexuality and sensuality. It is easy to increase nitric oxide – positive thinking, daily exercise, meditation and having sex regularly can all improve the NO levels.
You can learn more by reading her books, for example, "The Secret Pleasure of Menopause" or "The Wisdom of Menopause and Women's Bodies. Women's Wisdom."
Maintaining Emotional Intimacy
Maintaining emotional intimacy in relationships is just as critical to your overall psychological health as maintaining physical intimacy.
Emotions may overwhelm you during menopause, and sudden mood swings can strain your relationship. Your partner may not understand what you’re going through and may turn to anger out of frustration.
Additionally, some women notice that during menopause their partners initiate sex far less. According to experts, men can experience a feeling of panic when their partner is going through menopause; it provokes the realization that they too are getting older.
The tremendous emotional and physical changes that happen during menopause can be exacerbated if a woman's partner is unable to relate to her, or if there is a breakdown in communication.
During times of conflict, it’s difficult to express yourself without starting an argument. Take the time to sit down and discuss menopause with your partner and how it is affecting you – and them; a little understanding goes a long way.
In Conclusion...
Menopause is just a bump in the road, and you will soon be back to your old self. With some initiative from you and your partner, you can get your intimacy back and find that your relationship is closer than ever before.
