Many people would consider a high libido to be a good thing, especially if you’re in a sexually-active relationship.
A healthy sex life can be important in a partnership. It can build intimacy and boost your bond while keeping that “spark” alive. But, there’s a big difference between a healthy libido and an excessive one.
Let’s take a closer look at what excessive libido is, what it looks like, and the issues it can create in your personal life and your relationships.
More Than an Active Sex Drive
When someone has a high libido, their sexual interests and desires are likely to be stronger. Ideally, when you’re in a relationship with someone, you have similar desires and are equally “matched” when it comes to your sex drives.
That isn’t always the case. But, typically when one person has a high libido and the other doesn’t they’re able to find ways to compromise and work through it.
Excessive libido is more complicated. It isn’t just a higher drive for sexual satisfaction. It can borderline on obsession. Your sexual urges, desires, and behaviors can become almost uncontrollable, and you might find yourself thinking about nothing but sex.
What Problems Can It Cause?
When your thoughts become overwhelmed with sexual desires, it can impact nearly every area of your life.
Obviously, your relationship can suffer. Even if your partner has a high libido, they likely won’t be consumed with thoughts of sex the way you might be. That can create tension within the relationship and even harm your sex life.
Those consuming thoughts can also cause distractions at work and in your social life. You might find yourself withdrawing from things you enjoy or friends you like spending time with because you can’t stop yourself from thinking about sex or acting on your desires.
What Causes Excessive Libido?
There isn’t a clear cause when it comes to excessive libido. Some experts believe it has to do with an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain, including higher-than-normal levels of serotonin or dopamine.
Certain health conditions might also be to blame. We often think of how health conditions affect us, physically, but some can actually impact the brain, too. For example, dementia can damage parts of the brain responsible for sexual behaviors.
In addition to health problems causing excessive libido, it can sometimes have to do with the medications you take for those problems. That’s especially true when it comes to medications designed to boost the dopamine levels in your brain.
What Can You Do?
Hopefully, by now, you understand the difference between a high sex drive and excessive libido. If you truly feel like you can’t control your sexual behaviors, it’s time to reach out for help. If your excessive libido is impacting your quality of life, it’s also time to reach out for help.
Far too often, people don’t get the help they need and deserve with issues like these because they’re embarrassed. Your sex drive is a personal thing, and it’s understandable to not want to open up to anyone about it.
But, a mental health professional can help you manage your libido in several ways. First, they can help you dig deeper and potentially discover when and where it started. Getting to the root cause of an issue is always the best way to overcome it. You’ll also learn the skills necessary to reduce stress and stay calm while taking your thoughts captive and being mindful. Those are all things that can help you feel more in control of your sexual behaviors.
If your excessive libido seems to be taking over your life, it’s never too late to get help. Feel free to Contact Us for more information.