Sex File: My husband is too stressed to make love 

"Although it may seem odd that your husband has turned away from an activity that could, theoretically, help him to feel more relaxed, low libido and sexual aversion are common side effects of severe anxiety."

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My husband has developed an anxiety disorder and seems to have completely lost his sex drive. I'm doing what I can to support him but he doesn't even want to kiss or cuddle. He is worried that any physical intimacy will lead me on. I miss the closeness. I don't know what to do.

You know that your husband's low libido is related to his anxiety, so it will hardly come as a surprise to you to learn that your sex life won't get better until his anxiety does. Almost everyone experiences a degree of stress and anxiety during the course of their life, but your husband's condition is a different order of magnitude. Severe anxiety is an umbrella term that encompasses generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder (or social phobia) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). These are serious mental health issues that can have a debilitating impact on a person's capacity to function as they usually would.