Keisha Shakespeare, Staff Reporter
SEXUAL APPETITE is the layman's term for sex drive or libido. It is the natural drive in a person to have sexual intercourse. It differs from individual to individual and there is no standard for what is normal.
Dr. Horace Fletcher, head of the gynaecology department at the University Hospital of the West Indies explained that if a person does not have a sex drive they would not want to have sex. He however said that one could become aroused even without a sex drive. They also can have a high sex drive and have sexual intercourse but do not get an orgasm.
It is possible for both men and women to have a low sex drive. But it is more common in women than in men. In fact, The American Medical Association has estimated that several million U.S. women suffer from what U.S. doctors prefer to call 'female sexual arousal disorder' or 'FSAD'.
However, recently (2005) US claims that 45 per cent of women have FSAD are clearly absurd. At the moment there is a sort of 'FSAD bandwagon' - driven by doctors who think that nearly half the female population is lacking in desire. Low sex drive in women refers to a lack of interest in sexual relations. It is not unusual to experience a temporary decline in sexual desire at some point, and many women do. But if it persists, it may present problems.
The underlying reason for a decrease in sexual interest and activity, however, is not always obvious. Low sex drive can result from physical conditions (such as illness or pregnancy), psychological issues (such as stress or anxiety), or other factors. When a woman feels that her formerly normal sex drive has "stalled" or seems gone altogether, a medical or emotional problem may be at the root.
The signs of a low sex drive include:
* Less frequent sexual thoughts and fantasies
* Reduced sexual desire
* Reluctance to initiate sex
* Less frequent masturbation
* Lack of desire for sex when you've gone without sex for days, weeks, or months
