madman
Super Moderator
Conclusion
Trauma exposure can profoundly rupture an individual’s sense of safety, self-efficacy, and ability to trust and feel connected to others, features considered fundamental to healthy sexual functioning. The psychobiology of PTSD may result in an association of arousal with threat, an impaired ability to downregulate the fear response, and difficulty engaging the inhibitory neurobiological processes associated with sexual activity. Sexual arousal mimics the physiological experience of fear, and once these associations have been forged in the intense experience of trauma, it can be difficult to uncouple them. It is not yet known whether problems with sexual function are better explained by the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral symptoms of PTSD, such as avoidance, hypervigilance, and emotional
numbing, whether there is a biological component to the comorbidity, or whether there are other drivers, such as depression or medication. It is also unclear whether PTSD is associated with an overall inability to function sexually (i.e., alone, with a relative stranger), or only in the context of an affiliative, intimate relationship. Given the centrality of sexuality to interpersonal relationships and quality of life, further research on the comorbidity and treatment of sexual dysfunction and PTSD is warranted. Clinicians should assess for comorbid conditions during evaluation and treatment planning and provide education to patients and their partners.
Trauma exposure can profoundly rupture an individual’s sense of safety, self-efficacy, and ability to trust and feel connected to others, features considered fundamental to healthy sexual functioning. The psychobiology of PTSD may result in an association of arousal with threat, an impaired ability to downregulate the fear response, and difficulty engaging the inhibitory neurobiological processes associated with sexual activity. Sexual arousal mimics the physiological experience of fear, and once these associations have been forged in the intense experience of trauma, it can be difficult to uncouple them. It is not yet known whether problems with sexual function are better explained by the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral symptoms of PTSD, such as avoidance, hypervigilance, and emotional
numbing, whether there is a biological component to the comorbidity, or whether there are other drivers, such as depression or medication. It is also unclear whether PTSD is associated with an overall inability to function sexually (i.e., alone, with a relative stranger), or only in the context of an affiliative, intimate relationship. Given the centrality of sexuality to interpersonal relationships and quality of life, further research on the comorbidity and treatment of sexual dysfunction and PTSD is warranted. Clinicians should assess for comorbid conditions during evaluation and treatment planning and provide education to patients and their partners.