What is frigidity? Causes, symptoms and possible treatments

Do you know what frigidity is? Frigidity implies a lack of enjoyment or pleasure in sexual intercourse. This alteration, which can affect men and women, appears especially in the female sex, affecting one in ten women.

In this article we will learn what frigidity is and how it differs from other sexual disorders or dysfunctions. In addition, we will explain what are its most frequent causes, symptoms and possible treatments.

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What is frigidity?

Frigidity is a term used to describe those cases of women who do not enjoy sexual intercourse. It is often used in a pejorative way, although in this article we will limit ourselves to using the term to make allusion to this absence of female pleasure during sexual intercourse (without any positive or negative connotation).

Frigidity, in fact, is an alteration that can also manifest itself in men, although it is much less frequent. That is why in this article we will exclusively deal with female frigidity.

On the other hand, clarify that frigidity implies an impossibility of enjoying sexual relations (because the woman does not feel pleasure), and that this may lead to the woman herself feeling a lack of sexual desire (but that lack of desire would be the consequence of frigidity, not frigidity in Yes).

A) Yes, women with frigidity do not enjoy sex (because they do not feel sexual pleasure); This also translates into an absence of erotic sensations during sexual intercourse (either in the preliminary stage of sex, during penetration, etc.).

On some occasions, women with frigidity also do not feel pleasure during masturbation (although it is less frequent). Frigidity can appear at different times in life; If it manifests itself since the woman begins to have sexual relations, we speak of a primary or total frigidity; if, on the other hand, it appears later, we speak of a secondary or partial frigidity.

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Differences between frigidity and other sexual dysfunctions

Before delving into the causes, symptoms, and treatments of female frigidity, let's clarify what frigidity is not. We must know how to differentiate frigidity from:

1. Dyspareunia

Dyspareunia involves pain during sexual intercourse (specifically, during intercourse). It can appear in men and women, although it is more common in women.

2. Vaginismus

Vaginismus is a sexual dysfunction that makes penetration difficult as a woman's pelvic muscles contract involuntarily. But it has nothing to do with frigidity.

3. Anorgasmia

Female anorgasmia implies that the woman does not reach orgasm during masturbation or sexual intercourse; however, he does feel pleasure (in frigidity, no). It is a more common disorder than frigidity, and should not be confused.

4. Hypoactive sexual desire

Hypoactive sexual desire implies the reduction (or absence) of sexual desire. Although frigidity may lead to this lack of sexual appetite (due to the inability to feel pleasure during sexual intercourse), in reality they are different things.

Causes

The causes that can cause female frigidity are diverse. As we will see, these can be organic, hormonal, psychological, social... Some of the most frequent are the following.

1. Traumatic events

These occur especially in childhood; for example situations of sexual or psychological abuse, trauma, mistreatment, etc. Such an event can cause frigidity in adulthood.

2. Relationship problems

When there are problems in the relationship (it is understood, the partner with whom the woman is frigid), it is likely that the sexual field is also resented. In the end the quality of sex, to a large extent, reflects the state of the relationship.

In short, if a couple is going through a bad time, symptoms such as frigidity may appear (in both sexes).

The problems in the couple, in turn, can be caused by multiple reasons: lack of reciprocated feelings, falling out of love, lack of communication, jealousy, infidelity, etc.

3. Lack of trust

Lack of self-confidence and personal insecurities are other possible causes of female frigidity. In turn, this lack of confidence can be caused by other factors (temperamental or personality factors, toxic romantic relationships, abandonment, etc.).

4. Hormonal disturbances

Some hormonal problems can also be the cause of frigidity. These problems translate into imbalances in the levels of certain hormones, for example, and can be caused by taking contraceptive drugs.

5. Diseases

Certain diseases can cause frigidity, such as diabetes or plaque sclerosis.

6. Strict education

Having received a strict (or excessively religious) education, added to other factors, can be another cause of frigidity. Many times this type of education can develop feelings of guilt in women about the fact of having sex.

7. Clumsiness of the sexual partner

If the sexual partner acts clumsily or does not know how to act during sexual intercourse, this can also lead to the appearance of frigidity in the woman.

8. Certain drugs

Some drugs such as antidepressants or sleeping pills can alter a woman's sexual functioning (also affecting the desire and enjoyment of her during sexual intercourse).

Symptoms

As we have seen, the main symptom of frigidity is the absence of enjoyment or pleasure during sexual intercourse. Thus, sex is not that it is painful (as in dyspareunia), but that it simply does not produce pleasure on a psychological or sexual level.

In addition to this main symptom, and depending on the degree and intensity of the alteration, other frigidity may accompany symptoms such as: discomfort in the partner, insecurities, anxiety, fears, rejection of interpersonal contact, isolation, guilt, etc.

Possible treatments

When we are facing a case of frigidity, it is important to go to a specialist, be it a doctor, gynecologist, etc., in order to rule out organic causes. Once organic causes have been ruled out, we can go to a sexual or couples therapist (psychologist) to help us determine the causes of this disorder.

Luckily, frigidity is usually temporary and is a treatable condition. Thus, whenever we want to change the situation (and when frigidity really is a problem for us), therapy can go well for us.

Psychological therapy is especially useful when we are facing frigidity caused by psychological causes (for example, emotional blocks, anxiety, relationship problems ...). During therapy, many factors can be known that, indirectly or directly, may be influencing the maintenance of frigidity.

In addition, since frigidity is usually a problem of two (not a unique "problem" of the woman), it will be It is beneficial to know the dynamics of the couple, ways of relating to the other, degree of trust, communication, etc., to find out what is not working in the relationship. During therapy, you can opt for cognitive-behavioral techniques (cognitive restructuring, for example).

Bibliographic references

• American Psychiatric Association -APA- (2014). DSM-5. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Madrid: Panamericana.

• Horse, V. (2007). Manual for the cognitive-behavioral treatment of psychological disorders. Vol. 1. Anxiety, sexual, affective and psychotic disorders. XXI century. Madrid.

• Carrobles, J.A. and Sanz, A. (1991). Sex therapy. University-Business Foundation, Madrid.

• Sánchez, F.S. (2010). Female hypoactive sexual desire: a proposal for medical intervention. International Journal of Andrology, 8 (1): 21-27.