Sex and body image

Comment:

Programmes like Channel 4’s Sex Box have put sex firmly on the agenda.

Sex is a natural act but it is also loaded with emotions. Do you avoid sex because you feel self-conscious about your body?

Feeling insecure about your body can take many forms: if you are a mother and have put on weight with each pregnancy, you may not feel as sexy.

Or maybe an injury is preventing you from exercising and you are finding comfort in food.

Or you feel you are too skinny: as a man, you would like to look strong and muscular; as a woman, you want to have the right curves.

Do you feel jealous of your old, thinner, younger self? What actions are you willing to commit to to start feeling positively about your body?

In the United States 43% of women and 31% of men have some type of sexual physical dysfunction but what about their emotional issues?

Being dissatisfied with your own body makes you feel less desirable and lowers your desire for intimacy.

The Journal of Sexual Medicine (2010) reported that women with body image concerns are more distracted during sex and end up not having a satisfying experience.

Helping people to love their bodies and feel better about themselves can result in a more fulfilling sex life.

We discuss sex and body image in our workshop – you can also get support in one-to-one sessions or family therapy sessions.

Sources: http://www.kludgymom.com/body-image-and-sex/

http://www.whatnowandwhy.com/2013/10/08/just-write-too-thin/

http://lehmiller.com/blog/2013/9/30/what-does-a-womans-body-image-say-about-her-sex-life