It’s interesting how in areas of our lives where it is understood that there will be difficulty in functioning, there isn’t a paralyzing stigma to get help. If you had a problem with your iPhone, odds are you wouldn’t wait six months to go to an Apple store to talk to an Apple Genius. Perhaps you would first look online to see if there were any good suggestions, but at a certain point you would accept that you need a stronger intervention for your phone and that you need to take care of it sooner than later. After all, your phone keeps you connected to the world and for many people, is a source of comfort and organization.
For many women, sex is an important way they connect to their partners and themselves. Yet when it comes to getting help for sexual dysfunction, the pace for reaching out for help tends to be later, rather than sooner. When I meet with a new patient and we discuss her journey to treatment, more often than not, the woman knew that sexual dysfunction treatment existed long before she met with any professionals to address it. We’ve had many patients who found our website site months or years ago, long before they made a phone call to get help.
Putting off treatment for sexual issues happens for a variety of reasons and each situation has its own unique factors. Acknowledging there’s a problem and feeling ready to ask for help is not usually an overnight process, and takes time and awareness, especially since some sexual issues can evolve gradually. But in contrast to getting help for an iPhone, people often avoid getting help for sexual issues due to the prevailing, misguided notion that good sex is supposed to ‘just happen’ on its own, without any interventions and support. In reality, issues involving sex are common and in many cases, googling what to do may not be enough to fix the problem.
So, if you’re having a sexual issue (or any issue for that matter) and finding that internet suggestions have been inadequate, consider reaching out for help. Granted there are a lot more Apple Geniuses out there than sexual dysfunction geniuses, but know that there is treatment available for sexual dysfunction that can restore your connection with yourself, your partner, and your life.
