Fear of Sex Intimacy: Symptoms Causes and Treatment

Some people are afraid of sexual intimacy even at the extreme level. If you are here to know about the reasons and cure for this condition, we'll let you know all about it. It's not a simple dislike or prevention, more than it is here to explain. A fear arises whenever the individual attempts sexual intimacy or even hears about it. There are many people who suffer this condition even by thinking merely of it.

But there are ways to reduce or manage this fear of sexual intimacy. If you are suffering from this condition, you have noticed anxiety whenever you hear about sex. It is a type of phobia, a psychological disorder of irrational fears. For this condition, this phobia is called Genophobia. 

Phobia is a term used for intensive fear of anything with irrational behavior. It is a fear disorder that has exceeded the simple limits. If you are experiencing this intense fear of sexual intimacy, you have the Genophobia disorder. This article will provide information on this disorder, its symptoms, causes, and treatment. 

What is the Fear of Sexual Intimacy(Genophobia)?

Fear of sexual intimacy is a disorder that won't let you maintain a close relationship. This disorder is called Genophobia, in which a person has an extreme anxiety about sexual intercourse. It is also called coitophobia, and people with this disorder have fear from all types of sexual behavior. Genophobia is also called erotophobia sometimes, but there is a slight difference between these two terms. Genophobia term is used for sex acts, while erotophobia is used for fear of sexuality, nudity, etc.

You can use the term erotophobia to explain the term Genophobia but can't use Genophobia to describe erotophobia. There are many types of phobias, depending on the kind of stimulus. In this case, sexual intercourse or all sex-related things are stimuli to cause fear of sexual intimacy. But you should know it's not a simple type of fear. People with a phobia have specific distress conditions, which people avoid because of fear. 

However, this type of phobia is most common in women, but a few men also suffer from this condition. There are many reasons that can cause this fear to develop in a person. These may be religion or belief based depending on the situation. Only the person who suffers from this condition knows how much the fear is real and distress. 

Phobia is not simply to dislike but a strong or extreme fear like dread. If a person suffers from this fear for more than 6 months, then we can call it a phobia. Some people only show symptoms when they are involved with sexual intimacy. However, some people show symptoms even at the thought of the sexual intimacy. 

People with this condition do not reject the sexual intimacy intentionally. Super beliefs have developed in the persons that let them to reject and act weirdly. After reading this article, you will also have the knowledge to clarify your symptoms.

Fear of Sexual Intimacy in Men Vs. Women

There is a full possibility for everyone to face the fear of sexual intimacy. No matter who they are, they can experience this phobia in their life. According to research on the fear of sexual intimacy, it is noted that more women suffer from this phobia than men in America. 

Moreover, there is a higher percentage of women than men with the dysfunction of sexuality. This disfunction is the mental or physical condition that lets the individual impact sexual responses. No matter what the situation is, you can cure yourself and reduce the fear of intimacy. 

Symptoms

There are different symptoms for different people. In other words, symptoms of the fear of sexual intimacy vary from person to person. If a person shows some symptoms of this phobia, another person may have additional symptoms. These variations depend on the extent of this disorder. There are many triggers in this disorder that cause a substantial effect on the person. If not treated, it will increase over time and make the person's life unbearable. 

The phobia symptoms are unique as they are related to a specific person. No one will have the same symptoms and the extent of fear. Here, we'll discuss all the signs that a person can face in this condition. Moreover, these symptoms can be related to other phobia disorders. 

A person in this condition can have both physical and psychological problems. You should not take it as a non-serious disease. People need special care and treatment if they are suffering from the fear of sexual intimacy. With the physical and psychological issues, you may have difficulties in normal functioning. Your body will not react normally and can extend if not treated with time. Therefore, every person should follow the precautions suggested by a specialist. 

If the diseased person gets any related stimulus or even at the minute, though, a fear or panic appears in that person's behavior. The person can understand the extent of the anxiety but is unable to reduce it. Therefore, they need a specialist to recover. We'll also tell you all the methods to recover yourself. Following are the symptoms from which the diseased person suffers;

Nausea

If you are suffering from the fear of sexual intimacy, you'll feel nausea whenever you get a stimulus. For the stimulus, you may face two conditions. You'll show symptoms either at the time of intercourse or at a mere thought about sexual intimacy. Along with the nausea, you'll have a condition of fear and panic. With this condition, you'll avoid sexual intercourse. It will also create problems for your sexual functioning. The state will be more severe if not treated, and you'll never be able for sexual intercourse. 

Fear Attacks

We have mentioned that the fear of sexual intimacy is irrational, but it causes various problems. In this condition, you'll have panic attacks on the exposure to the stimulus. These attacks will not let you have sexual intercourse and develop an intense fear in you. This fear will develop a low self-esteem, and you'll not have the courage to face it. You'll have anxiety in your performance in this condition, and you'll be in an abnormal state. Thus, these fear attacks are severe and affect your normal body functions. 

Sexual Triggers

People who fear sexual intimacy may cause a worse condition if they are exposed to sexual triggers. You'll remain in the same condition and will become worse if you continue the activity. The state will remain the same because you'll get the continuous stimulus. It will only reduce when you stop the activity or stimulus. 

Sabotaging relationships

People with the fear of intimacy always sabotage their relationships with others. They always pull back themselves from having a close relationship with others. With their fear, they avoid their partners. Their partners may feel guilty about becoming clingy or too close. 

There are some other symptoms of the fear of sexual intimacy. These symptoms are both physiological and psychological that you'll face. 

• Dizziness and faint
• Sweating
• Chest pain
• Fast heart rate
• Less breath
• Tingling feelings
• Trembling
• Hot and cold flushes
• Derealisation
• Depersonalization

These are the symptoms that a person can face while suffering from this phobia. If you are feeling in the same way, you must see a specialist to reduce your fear of intimacy. 

Causes

A phobia is caused by a severe accident, and a person always feels abnormal when they face such problems. If there is any cause behind this condition, first explore the cause and treat it. Treating the cause is essential if you really want to eradicate this fear. There are various causes by which you may suffer from this condition. Following are the major causes of this condition. 

Vaginismus

Vaginismus is a condition in which vagina muscles clench up involuntarily during penetration. This clench up will make the intercourse hard or impossible. This condition will stop you and cause a fear of sexual intimacy. You'll face pain if you try to have intercourse, and anxiety will develop in you. Clenching up of the muscles will worsen the condition, and you'll face fear or panic attacks whenever you get the stimulus. Hence, it is the cause of the fear of sexual intimacy. 

Rape Trauma

Rape causes a severe effect on the mind and body of the individual. All the persons who survive after rape have gone under extreme psychological conditions. In this condition, the individual may cause severe mental health problems. With this trauma, the survivor may have a fear of sexual intimacy. Whenever the individual is exposed to sexual intercourse, panic attacks will occur and make the condition severe.

It has a significant impact on the person's mind; therefore, sexual intercourse will act as the stimulus for fear of sexual intimacy. 

Erectile Dysfunction

Whenever a person fails to obtain an erection or sustainability, it will lead to erectile dysfunction. This disability will let you be in a condition of shame and stress that will indirectly cause the fear of sexual intimacy. 

But it depends on how much worse the condition is. With this dysfunction, people will not be able to share this problem with others. For this shame, they become stressed, which causes an effect on the brain. Ultimately they develop a fear that restricts them from sexual intimacy. 

Fear of Culture and Religion

If you are living in a religious or cultural group, you will also develop a fear of sexual intercourse. We are not saying that following the teachings will cause you phobia. But to follow in an irregular manner and interruptions may cause problems for you. 

Self-doubt, guilt, and following the old culture can develop a fear of sexual intimacy in yourself. These may cause a high risk of phobia in these individuals.

Perfectionism

There are some people who prefer perfectness and don't let themselves to have sexual intercourse. Their demands are so high that they prevent themselves from sexual intimacy. 

Past Sexual Abuse

Child sexual abuse can seriously affect the mind, and people with this trauma are likely to suffer from the fear of sexual intimacy. You'll have the serious conditions whenever you have the sexual intercourse. Your fear will make your condition worse, and you'll have the symptoms. You can stop this condition by stopping the intercourse activity. Not all the survivors will have the same effect. But there is a possibility or high risk of getting this phobia.

Sexual Performance

It doesn't have a high risk of getting a phobia. In this condition, people got fear whether they are good or not in sexual performance. All these will let the individual to prevent the sexual intercourse. This fear will develop in those who have less or no experience of sexual intercourse. In this condition, people will have psychological problems. They will face the the discomfort and stress whenever they think about the sexual intercourse. 

Fear of Disease

As we know, there are diseases that you can have via the sexual intercourse. People who are extra precaution may develop a fear that lets them to avoid sexual intimacy. Many people prevent themselves in various ways and don't have any fear. But there are also people who suffer from extreme anxiety. People with the fear of disease will think it is harmful to them; therefore, they will restrict themselves from sexual intercourse. 

You'll feel the most dangerous things, and the phobia symptoms will appear whenever you get the stimulus. But there are various ways by which you can overcome your fear that we'll discuss later. 

Dysmorphia

Body shame can restrict you from having sexual intercourse because of the fear of sexual intimacy. The fear of body shame will cause psychological impact and ultimately cause a phobia in you. You'll also have physical problems with this condition. 

Short Relationships

People who have suffered from short dates or relationships may cause trauma and psychological impacts. These will develop a fear of sexual intimacy, and people suffer from this condition on getting stimulus. 

These are the major causes that can let a person suffer from the fear of sexual intimacy. You'll have to explore your cause and symptoms to help yourself get rid of them. 

Treatment

Fear of sexual intimacy is not a severe issue if the cause is not highly affected. The effect of this phobia depends on the cause of this fear; therefore, it is necessary to know the cause of phobia before the treatment. The treatment of this phobia depends on the cause of this fear. Every person is treated differently based on the symptoms and causes. Thus, to explore the cause is a sensitive and crucial part of the treatment.

If you are suffering from this phobia because of any physical problem, you should seek medications and experts in this field. They will treat you well with no difficulty. This disease is often treated by sex therapists who are experts in mental health and sexual matters so that they can easily understand the cause and treat the patient. There are three primary ways by which you can treat yourself from this phobia.

Self-care

If you are not suffering from a high level of phobia, you can eradicate this fear by yourself. There are some things that you can do as a self-care treatment. We'll tell you everything to give your best in treating yourself. There are many people who have used these things and become successful in phobia's eradication. We are mentioning all the possible ways, but you should use them according to the cause. 

The first way you can do this is to talk to someone you can trust. You can treat yourself with the help of a trusted person. Always choose a person to whom you can talk about anything. This will help you eradicate the fear of sexual intimacy with less percentage. As these are practiced by many people, you'll get help and become successful. 

You can manage your condition with time at this rare percentage of fear with time. Whenever you have this condition, control yourself and develop a self-esteem that will let you face your condition. Use different relaxation techniques to help yourself calm down and face the situation. You can join a group of people who are helpful and supportive. By joining such a group, you'll have the ability to develop the courage to eradicate this phobia.

There are some practical ways that include reading books or watching online programs. These will not let you divert your mind to negative things, and you'll find a way to treat yourself in a better way. You can also join special courses for the treatment of fear of sexual intimacy. These will also let you have a life with no such issues. 

Medications

Many experts here provide and suggest a proper medication for your fear of sexual intimacy. If you are suffering from a severe phobia, you can seek appropriate medications. In this condition, you will be suffering from psychological and physical problems. Therefore, many experts are ready to help you by providing proper medications. Everyone is different and has different conditions; therefore, specialists will provide specific medicines. 

There are sex therapists who understand all the matters and allow you to have the best treatment with their medications. You should follow their instructions if you want to treat yourself properly. If you have severe symptoms, seek proper drugs and follow the instructions. 

Seek a specialist

Professionals have trained with advanced strategies to give you a better life if you are suffering from the worst Genophobia. If you have phobia because of physical symptoms, you may have the following treatments;

Psychotherapy

There are many types of psychotherapy to treat yourself from severe conditions. You can have a therapist who will help identify the cause and treat it. One of the famous psychotherapy is Cognitive Behavior therapy. The specialist will let you think about your phobia differently in this therapy. The therapist will encourage you to see in various ways. This will help you to reduce your fear. You'll learn the causes and methods to overcome your reaction or responses. Sometimes, you have to do sexual intimacy to overcome your reactions. 

Vaginal Dilators

If you fear sexual intimacy because of vaginalism, the experts will help you by using vaginal dilators. Many women become successful in treating themselves with vaginal dilators. These dilators are effective as they make the vaginal muscle achieve its previous position and break the clunch. It will reduce the pain that you have to face during clunch up. Ultimately, you'll be able to reduce the fear of sexual intimacy. Many reports tell about the women who had been involved in this phobia. But after treatment, they are living a better life. 

Exposure Therapy

It is basically a type of psychotherapy in which the patient will remain engaged with the cause of the fear. The specialist encourages them to face it bravely. For example, if you are afraid of a snake, the specialists will enable you to hold a snake to overcome your fear. In the same way, you'll face the cause of your anxiety that will help you overcome it.

Thus, these are the treatments you can do if you are suffering from the fear of sexual intimacy.

Conclusion

Phobia is difficult to understand, and people usually mix healthy phobia with fear. To understand your condition, you must seek a doctor who can help you identify your phobia. Experts have knowledge and practice; therefore, they can explore the cause better. You should have a conversation with a sex therapist or medication, depending on the condition you are suffering from. With the proper treatment, you'll be able to overcome your problem. 

We have discussed all the possible causes of the fear of sexual intimacy to help you know the possible ways for an idea. After reading this article, you'll be able to see the extent of your fear and the possible treatment that you can adapt according to the condition. Seek a specialist for the best results.