Hi Readers,
Eating disorders can cause a host of issues that may affect every part of your life. One area that is rarely spoken about when discussing eating disorders is sexuality.
For many people with eating disorders, sex is an issue. Low sex drive, lack of self-confidence, and a fear of intimacy can severely impact their sex life.
Intimacy is usually seen as an indicator of a healthy relationship. However, with someone having an eating disorder, it’s often viewed as a frightening closeness that puts barriers between the person who has an eating disorder and their partner.
People with an eating disorder will naturally display a negative attitude towards sex; they will have more sexual anxiety and reduced sexual satisfaction. This is true for any sex or gendered person who has an eating disorder.
When a person has an eating disorder, sexual dysfunction is a very common side effect. The physiological complications associated with eating disorders are just the tip of the iceberg.
The core features that lie at the heart of an eating disorder; distorted body image, body dissatisfaction, and shame, all inhibit a healthy sexual function, too.
In many cases, having a sex aversion isn’t always about the physiological barriers, it’s about the psychological ones, too and these negative self-images make it difficult to have sex. If you are uncomfortable with the way you look, engaging sexually is embarrassing and challenging.
If you are someone with an eating disorder, please speak to your GP / healthcare professional, a Psychologist, or a Sexologist.
My workbook on self-love is one way to help you with your self-image and self-confidence.
Be kind to one another,
Julia, Sexologist
For further reading click here.
Guides and workbooks are available here.
Julia, Sexologist 