If your sink has a leak, you go to the plumber. If your tooth aches, you go to the dentist. If you have a problem with your health, you go to the doctor. And if you have problems in the bedroom, you go to a sex therapist.
Makes sense, right?
Well, not to everyone. Many couples and individuals dread the idea of going to a sex therapist because they’re afraid or are embarrassed to talk about the most private aspect of their lives: sex. This is because a common misconception about sex therapists is that they deal only with problems concerning sex.
However, as many sex therapists and their clients will tell you, sex therapy also involves fixing issues about your personality, how you handle intimacy, how you express your sexuality, and your relationship with your partner. After all, these are crucial elements that make up how you behave in the bedroom.
Before we talk about the telltale signs that show you if you need sex therapy, let’s first clear up the misconceptions about sex therapy.
What is sex therapy, anyway?
Many people seek the help of a sex therapist due to impotence and other physical debilitation that affects their sexual performance. Aside from this, however, sex therapists also deal with those who have a hard time expressing themselves sexually.
Signs you need sex therapy
Some people who go to a sex therapist experience low desire or libido. There are also those who have problems getting it up, have premature ejaculation, or do not experience orgasm.
These are problems that may occur for a period of time and for different reasons, but if you fit the bill in the signs we give below, then this means that you should probably seek the help of a sex therapist.
1. Persistent problems
If you experience a hard time “getting up” or getting hard, and this problem persists for two weeks or more, this is a sign that there could be a deeper underlying issue that needs to be looked at by a professional. This is the same for other performance-related issues that are out of your control. [Read: 20 naughty ways to keep an erection up and hard for way longer]
2. Painful
Sex should give you pleasure. If you feel unusual pain when you’re having sex, chances are, you *and/or your partner* have health-related problems.
Consulting a therapist can help you find the best medical-based advice on what positions will best lessen the pain, what positions and deeds are most comfortable, and what techniques you can employ to make the most of your time in bed. [Read: Why does sex hurt? 15 quick signs something’s definitely not right]
3. No climax
Maybe you don’t have a partner and you’re used to having a go at it on your own. Then suddenly, you find yourself not reaching climax.
Again, if this problem is persistent for a few months, or each time you masturbate, this can be due to an underlying issue that an expert can help sort out for you.
4. Addiction or shame
Today, many more people are coming out with their addiction to porn or sex. As for you, you may find yourself questioning your own sexual habits and you may want to sort out why you are feeling ashamed, guilty, secretive, or compulsive about your sexual preferences or habits.
By going to a sex therapist, you can have a better perspective of what you are going through, and determine whether or not you have a sex or porn addiction. If you do have either, then a sex therapist can help you discover healthy ways to deal with your addiction—and even kick it for good. [Read: Are you addicted to sex? 8 steps to handle your addiction]
5. Sex arguments
It may start with casual teasing about how your partner slept on you as you were about to do the deed…but then it happens again and again—so much so that you start to bicker about it.
If you are arguing about your sex life and are complaining about it, it can help to seek a therapist before your problems in bed overflow to other aspects of your relationship.
6. Unsatisfactory sex life
While you may both be very polite or don’t want your sex life to be the main drive for your happiness in your relationship, having one *or both* partners dissatisfied in the bedroom is a recipe for disaster.
Maybe you or your partner is having erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation and you don’t want to tell the other party about it, or you are experiencing trouble reaching orgasm.
Going to a sex therapist and having another point of view *a professional one, at that* can help you open up about the problem and promptly seek effective solutions to deal with it. [Read: 9 awkward signs you’re having bad sex with your lover]
7. Strained relationships
If your sexual performance and intimacy issues are causing a strain in your relationship, this is also a good reason to bring in a sex therapist.
Maybe you’re not having as much sex as you used to, or you are not performing well in bed, and this is causing your partner a great deal of frustration or disappointment that carries over, out of the bedroom.
After all, a lack of sex can cause distance between couples and cause frequent bickering. If you want to save your relationship and enjoy sex with your partner again, you really should go to a therapist.
8. Lack of libido
Again, dry spells are natural, and people *or couples* experience them from time to time. They could be due to stress, exhaustion, sudden changes in your lifestyle, or something else. However, if your lack of mood lasts for more than a couple of months, this could be a problem.
A sex therapist can help you when it comes to improving your communication with each other and how the lack of sex is making you or your partner feel. [Read: 10 really naughty ways to get over a sexual dry spell in no time]
9. Unusual behavior
There will be very few cases when people have an unhealthy outlook on sex, whether due to their upbringing, personal beliefs, or behavior. If you are like this and you are scared of having sex, have not ever had sex, are traumatized about sex, or would describe yourself as absolutely not into sex and this affects not just your relationships *if you have had any* but the way you deal with people, this can also be a red flag for you to seek counseling from a sex therapist.
Sex is a natural phenomenon and humans are fortunate to experience it in a way that can blow our minds. However, there is also a science and psychology behind sex. Talking to a professional sex therapist about your problems or concerns regarding sex can greatly improve not only your sex life, but your overall quality of life. [Read: 10 naughty sex games for couples to feel horny 24/7]
The key is to be open-minded and honest enough to let someone in on the private details of your sex life. After all, it’s better to get to the root of the problem before it gets worse and destroys not only yourself and your happiness but also that of the people around you.
Everyone will have experienced, or will experience, a sexual problem *or more* at some point. Even couples who seem perfect may have undesirable secrets that they’d rather hide behind closed doors. Some problems are easily fixed, while others need the expertise of a sex therapist.
[Read: 13 untold sex secrets you really need to know]
If you are able to relate to one or more of the signs above, as awkward as you may feel, that is your cue to head to a sex therapist and talk about your problem.
