Inhibited sexual desire is simply the inability to enjoy normal sexual activities. It affects both men and women. Until recently, the condition was popularly known as "frigidity," which is now recognized as an inappropriate term. As the American Medical Association notes in its Encyclopedia of Medicine, "The term has been used almost exclusively with reference to women and is now being discouraged because of its negative connotations—blaming a woman for something that may exist only in the mind of her partner." The Encyclopedia also distinguishes between inhibited sexual desire and anorgasmia—failure to achieve orgasm.

Inhibited sexual desire is often the result of sexual wounds. Once any part of your body is wounded, it becomes vulnerable and hyper sensitive, needing extreme protection. During the initial state of shock, the muscles, tendons, and ligaments surrounding the area tense up as a protective response. Often this constriction remains long after the physical wound heals. The scars can hamper the body for years. Therapeutic massage and bodywork, along with counseling or therapy, can release the chronic tension.

When a man or woman is sexually wounded, the trauma may affect both body and mind. This is because there is a strong connection between the genitals and emotions, a link acknowledged in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. (Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine note that the kidney, pericardium, and triple warmer energy pathways connect the emotions to sexuality. The pericardium is often referred to as the protector of the heart, linking emotions to the genitals.)

A person's body can become sexually unresponsive due to past wounds from childhood sexual abuse, incest, rape, forceful male fingering and entry, premature intercourse, saying yes when no is

Social pressures can hit women especially hard. A woman may feel driven to fake an orgasm to please her mate's ego. Fearing that her partner will feel responsible for her nonorgasmic condition, she may settle for an inauthentic sexual relationship rather than upset him or risk losing him. She may also not want to appear aggressive or selfish in asking for what feels good.

Of course, inhibited sexual desire may also result from physical problems. Painful intercourse may have a medical cause, such as pelvic endometriosis or ligamental tears that occurred during child birth, so it is important for a woman who experiences it to be exam ined by a doctor.

To determine whether their inhibited sexual desire has an organic cause, men and women should begin by asking themselves the following questions:

• Are you able to bring yourself to orgasm?
• Are you more likely to have an orgasm on vacation?
• Are there certain partners, environments, or circumstances that cause you to experience orgasm without effort?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you probably do not have a physical problem. Your sexual discomfort may be due to stress or an emotional cause, which can be healed over time through a combination of supportive, somatic psychotherapy and regular pri vate acupressure sessions.

Sexual unresponsiveness may be the body's wisdom speaking. When a person feels deeply supported, safe, and able to trust another human being, the body often rediscovers its sexual responsiveness.

Even if you have a loving partner, self-healing is the most impor tant element in overcoming inhibited sexual desire. Focus on the following:

Take Responsibility for Your Body

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