Health

How Is Your Sex Drive Linked To Your Mental Health?

Published

4 years ago

June 9, 2020

Your sex drive, or libido, is an important aspect of most marriages and romantic relationships. When sexual desire fades, or even disappears completely, it can have a big impact on your relationship with your partner and your quality of life. Both men and women experience low libido, but not everybody seeks treatment for it. Women, in particular, tend to be embarrassed to admit that they want to improve their sex drive, and many women assume that there are no treatments available.

A low sexual desire or having no desire for sex at all can be a sign of an underlying mental health condition. If you have little to no desire for sex at all, you may be suffering from hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), also known as female sexual interest disorder. Low libido in either men or women can also be the symptom of a mental health condition such as anxiety or depression.

Sexual desire fluctuates over time for most people, and it’s normal to go through phases where you don’t want sex as much as normal. But if your libido has been low for longer than usual and it’s causing personal stress or a strain on your relationship, it might be time to have a conversation with your doctor.

Depression:

Major depressive disorder is a condition that causes the individual to suffer from a depressed mood and a lack of enjoyment in their everyday life. It’s different from the slumps that you experience from time to time in that depression tends to last longer and is very difficult to pull yourself out of, unlike simply having a bad day. Depression brings with it a wide range of symptoms, which can include unexplainable feelings of sadness, a loss of interest in things that you once enjoyed, weight loss or weight gain, trouble sleeping, a loss of appetite, or eating too much, low energy levels and difficulty concentrating.

How Can Depression Affect Your Sex Drive?

A lower sex drive can be another symptom of depression, or you might find that the symptoms of depression cause you to lose interest in sex. If you’re no longer feeling very interested in the things that you once enjoyed doing, sex could be included in this. People suffering from depression might also find that they don’t have enough energy for sex.

This can also work in reverse; it’s possible for a low libido to lead to feelings of depression, particularly in somebody for whom sex was an important part of their life and relationship. A lack of sexual desire caused by a disorder such as HSDD can cause symptoms similar to depression, but at the same time, you can be diagnosed with HSDD and not have depression. It’s possible for somebody with low libido to experience a low mood related to their sex life, but this does not apply to the other aspects of their life.

Certain medications that you may be prescribed for depression may also affect your sex drive. Some SSRIs, for example Zoloft, list a lack of sex drive as a common side effect, and some people who take this medication may find that it leaves them having difficulty reaching orgasm. If you have been prescribed anti-depressant medication and it has had an effect on your sex life, it’s worth speaking to your doctor to see if there are any alternatives available.

Anxiety:

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by symptoms of panic and worry. People suffering from anxiety might experience it alone or alongside other mental health issues such as depression. Common symptoms include panic attacks, obsessive thoughts, chronic stress, trouble sleeping, and irrational feelings of fear.

How Anxiety Can Affect Your Sex Drive:

Naturally, being plagued with these feelings can make it difficult for you to enjoy sex and might have an effect on your libido. Anxious feelings can dampen your sex drive in a wide number of ways; feeling overwhelmed can easily prevent you from being in the mood for sex and panic and worry also have a physical effect. Production of stress hormones like adrenaline can leave you unable to relax, which is never very good for your sex drive.

Similar to depression, certain drugs that are often prescribed to treat anxiety will also have a libido-lowering side effect, meaning that patients are often stuck in a catch-22 situation where the medication that they use to manage their anxiety and prevent it from getting worse will also decrease their interest in sex. If you can relate to this, it might be worth speaking to your doctor about potential alternatives.

Similar to depression, anxiety and your libido can also work in reverse. Many men, in particular, might suffer from performance anxiety when their libido is lowered, as they worry that they are unable to satisfy their partner, which can then have an effect on their sex drive in the future; it’s a vicious cycle.

Mental Health and Your Confidence:

There are many ways in which your mental health can take a toll on your confidence overall, and many people who struggle with mental health often suffer from low body confidence, which can have a detrimental effect on your sex drive. While almost everybody feels a little bit nervous getting naked in front of somebody for the first time, conditions like anxiety can make you feel extremely self-conscious. And, some of the symptoms of depression, like weight loss or weight gain, can change the way that you feel about your body in a big way and make it more difficult for you to feel comfortable and relaxed when getting it on.

How Can Exercise Help?

Exercise, a good diet, and certain dietary supplements can be used to both improve the symptoms of mental health conditions and increase your libido. Regular exercise might not be something that you feel like doing if you are suffering from depression, but it can have a huge effect and make you feel better, both on its own and in conjunction with anti-depressant medication or counselling. Exercise releases ‘feel-good’ endorphins, which is why you feel so great after a workout, and as you begin to see the physical effects of regular exercise on your body, this can also help to improve your body confidence and make it easier for you to feel good about yourself when having sex with your partner.

Relieving Stress:

Having sex is not usually the main thing on your mind when you are stressed out, so implementing some strategies for relaxation and stress reduction in your daily life can be helpful for improving your mood and boosting your libido, whether you are suffering from anxiety or depression or simply going through a patch in life where you’re less interested in sex than usual because of a stressful situation. Meditation and deep breathing exercises can be very useful to help you feel calmer and more in control, and you can practice these exercises together with your partner to help deepen your connection and intimacy, which in turn can also help to improve your sex life. Communication with your partner is also important; when your partner understands your mental health and the effect that it is having on your sex life, they will be able to support you in the way that you need.

Stress can lead to raised levels of cortisol, which dampens testosterone levels, leading to a disinterest in sex. Testosterone supplements may also be useful. A testosterone supplement such as TestoGen can improve libido and lead to a more satisfying sex life. It is effective in both men and women.

Foods that Improve Your Mental Health:

Along with regular exercise, changing your diet to improve a range of brain-boosting foods that are good for your mental health can help. People with depression tend to lose interest in cooking, which can make symptoms worse if you are living off a diet of convenience foods and take-out. Start small when it comes to including foods like leafy greens, yogurt, whole grains, berries, and oily fish into your diet; the best part is that many of these foods, like blueberries and strawberries, make great snacks and don’t require a lot of if any preparation if you don’t feel like you have the energy to cook.

Foods that Improve Your Libido:

If your low libido is the main factor in your feelings of depression and anxiety, your diet and lifestyle could be playing a bigger part than you realise. The foods that you eat and your lifestyle habits could be directly contributing to your lack of libido. You might find it helpful to introduce more aphrodisiac foods into your diet; certain fruits such as bananas, figs, and avocados can be useful for improving your libido and may even help to improve your sexual performance since they are filled with important minerals and vitamins that increase blood flow to the genitals.

Your mental health can affect your libido in many ways, from the symptoms of stress, depression, or anxiety which can all ruin the mood, to medications that can leave you with no interest in sex. Keep these tips in mind if you are experiencing a low sex drive due to mental health problems or vice versa.

Foods that Improve Your Libido:

Health

What’s the greatest holiday gift: lips, hair, skin? Give the gift of great skin this holiday season

Published

1 week ago

October 31, 2024

Press Release

Give the gift of great skin this holiday season

Skinstitut Holiday Gift Kits take the stress out of gifting

Toronto, October 31, 2024 – Beauty gifts are at the top of holiday wish lists this year, and Laser Clinics Canada, a leader in advanced beauty treatments and skincare, is taking the pressure out of seasonal shopping. Today, Laser Clincs Canada announces the arrival of its 2024 Holiday Gift Kits, courtesy of Skinstitut, the exclusive skincare line of Laser Clinics Group.

In time for the busy shopping season, the limited-edition Holiday Gifts Kits are available in Laser Clinics locations in the GTA and Ottawa. Clinics are conveniently located in popular shopping centers, including Hillcrest Mall, Square One, CF Sherway Gardens, Scarborough Town Centre, Rideau Centre, Union Station and CF Markville. These limited-edition Kits are available on a first come, first served basis.

“These kits combine our best-selling products, bundled to address the most relevant skin concerns we’re seeing among our clients,” says Christina Ho, Senior Brand & LAM Manager at Laser Clinics Canada. “With several price points available, the kits offer excellent value and suit a variety of gift-giving needs, from those new to cosmeceuticals to those looking to level up their skincare routine. What’s more, these kits are priced with a savings of up to 33 per cent so gift givers can save during the holiday season.

There are two kits to select from, each designed to address key skin concerns and each with a unique theme — Brightening Basics and Hydration Heroes.

Brightening Basics is a mix of everyday essentials for glowing skin for all skin types. The bundle comes in a sleek pink, reusable case and includes three full-sized products: 200ml gentle cleanser, 50ml Moisture Defence (normal skin) and 30ml1% Hyaluronic Complex Serum. The Brightening Basics kit is available at $129, a saving of 33 per cent.

Hydration Heroes is a mix of hydration essentials and active heroes that cater to a wide variety of clients. A perfect stocking stuffer, this bundle includes four deluxe products: Moisture 15 15 ml Defence for normal skin, 10 ml 1% Hyaluronic Complex Serum, 10 ml Retinol Serum and 50 ml Expert Squalane Cleansing Oil. The kit retails at $59.

In addition to the 2024 Holiday Gifts Kits, gift givers can easily add a Laser Clinic Canada gift card to the mix. Offering flexibility, recipients can choose from a wide range of treatments offered by Laser Clinics Canada, or they can expand their collection of exclusive Skinstitut products.

	Brightening Basics 2024 Holiday Gift Kit by Skinstitut, available exclusively at Laser Clincs Canada clinics and online at skinstitut.ca.

Hydration Heroes 2024 Holiday Gift Kit by Skinstitut – available exclusively at Laser Clincs Canada clinics and online at skinstitut.ca.

Health

Here is how to prepare your online accounts for when you die

Published

2 weeks ago

October 24, 2024

Anne Joseph

LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?

It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.

Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:

Apple

The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.

For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.

You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.

Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.

Google

Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.

When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.

You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.

There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.

Facebook and Instagram

Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.

When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.

The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.

You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.

TikTok

The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.

Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.

It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.

Passwords

Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?

Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.

But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.

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Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.

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Health

Pediatric group says doctors should regularly screen kids for reading difficulties

Published

3 weeks ago

October 23, 2024

Anne Joseph

The Canadian Paediatric Society says doctors should regularly screen children for reading difficulties and dyslexia, calling low literacy a “serious public health concern” that can increase the risk of other problems including anxiety, low self-esteem and behavioural issues, with lifelong consequences.

New guidance issued Wednesday says family doctors, nurses, pediatricians and other medical professionals who care for school-aged kids are in a unique position to help struggling readers access educational and specialty supports, noting that identifying problems early couldhelp kids sooner — when it’s more effective — as well as reveal other possible learning or developmental issues.

The 10 recommendations include regular screening for kids aged four to seven, especially if they belong to groups at higher risk of low literacy, including newcomers to Canada, racialized Canadians and Indigenous Peoples. The society says this can be done in a two-to-three-minute office-based assessment.

Other tips encourage doctors to look for conditions often seen among poor readers such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; to advocate for early literacy training for pediatric and family medicine residents; to liaise with schools on behalf of families seeking help; and to push provincial and territorial education ministries to integrate evidence-based phonics instruction into curriculums, starting in kindergarten.

Dr. Scott McLeod, one of the authors and chair of the society’s mental health and developmental disabilities committee, said a key goal is to catch kids who may be falling through the cracks and to better connect families to resources, including quicker targeted help from schools.

“Collaboration in this area is so key because we need to move away from the silos of: everything educational must exist within the educational portfolio,” McLeod said in an interview from Calgary, where he is a developmental pediatrician at Alberta Children’s Hospital.

“Reading, yes, it’s education, but it’s also health because we know that literacy impacts health. So I think that a statement like this opens the window to say: Yes, parents can come to their health-care provider to get advice, get recommendations, hopefully start a collaboration with school teachers.”

McLeod noted that pediatricians already look for signs of low literacy in young children by way of a commonly used tool known as the Rourke Baby Record, which offers a checklist of key topics, such as nutrition and developmental benchmarks, to cover in a well-child appointment.

But he said questions about reading could be “a standing item” in checkups and he hoped the society’s statement to medical professionals who care for children “enhances their confidence in being a strong advocate for the child” while spurring partnerships with others involved in a child’s life such as teachers and psychologists.

The guidance said pediatricians also play a key role in detecting and monitoring conditions that often coexist with difficulty reading such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, but McLeod noted that getting such specific diagnoses typically involves a referral to a specialist, during which time a child continues to struggle.

He also acknowledged that some schools can be slow to act without a specific diagnosis from a specialist, and even then a child may end up on a wait list for school interventions.

“Evidence-based reading instruction shouldn’t have to wait for some of that access to specialized assessments to occur,” he said.

“My hope is that (by) having an existing statement or document written by the Canadian Paediatric Society … we’re able to skip a few steps or have some of the early interventions present,” he said.

McLeod added that obtaining specific assessments from medical specialists is “definitely beneficial and advantageous” to know where a child is at, “but having that sort of clear, thorough assessment shouldn’t be a barrier to intervention starting.”

McLeod said the society was partly spurred to act by 2022’s “Right to Read Inquiry Report” from the Ontario Human Rights Commission, which made 157 recommendations to address inequities related to reading instruction in that province.

He called the new guidelines “a big reminder” to pediatric providers, family doctors, school teachers and psychologists of the importance of literacy.

“Early identification of reading difficulty can truly change the trajectory of a child’s life.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2024.

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