Four Health Benefits of Sex (As If You Needed an Excuse!)

Everyone enjoys sex, but is that where the benefits to your wellness end? Absolutely not! Let’s take a look at some of the scientifically proven ways in which sex is good for you:

 

1. Exercise: Sexual health expert and private GP Dr Arun Ghosh argues that sex is ‘not emphasised enough as a really good form of exercise.’ If you make it last long enough, Graham Jackson, a consultant cardiologist and president of The Sexual Advice Association, asserts that sex could form part of your overall, varied fitness programme. ‘A typical game of tennis or squash is around 40 minutes of sustained cardiovascular activity,’ he points out. ‘So to compare these to sex in fitness benefits you would need to perform your peak periods of sex for around the same amount of time.’ A vigorous 30 to 40 minutes means ‘you could get a good cardiovascular workout during sex,’ Dr Jackson adds. ‘Sexual activity is meant to compliment other more sustained forms of exercise. You can’t say, “I have sex, I won’t exercise”.’

 

2. Brain Function: Scientists at the University of Maryland found that rats’ brain function improved after long periods of sexual activity, specifically in the hippocampus area where new memories are formed. According to Dr. Ghosh, ‘A huge amount of brain stimulus occurs during intercourse. It’s why we feel so overtaken when we orgasm. When researchers do MRI scans on people in orgasm, they observe both sides of the brain being stimulated, including parts of the brain we wouldn’t normally use.’ However, as the study was done on rats, we still don’t know if the same results would be found in people. Dr Simon Ridley, of the Alzheimer’s Research Council, notes, ‘Plus, any improvements in brain power were lost once the animals’ sexual activity stopped, so we can’t assume any benefits to their brains will be long-term…There’s as yet still no compelling evidence to support the idea that regular sex can help stave off dementia or cognitive decline in humans.’

 

3. Stronger Pelvic Floor: Not only does a strong pelvic floor make sex itself more enjoyable; Andrew Hextall, a consultant who specialises in genito-urinary medicine at Spire Bushey Hospital, points out that, a stronger pelvic floor can help reduce your risk of prolapse of the womb, which affects half of women over 50, and your risk of stress incontinence, which affects one in four women over 40. Mr Hextall explains, ‘During intercourse, the muscles in a woman’s pelvic floor naturally contract and squeeze. This increases muscle tone in the area, as the pelvic floor is like any other muscle, it responds to use by getting stronger. The recommendation for exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor are to squeeze the pelvic floor only eight times at any one time. It’s likely that during sex you will be contracting your pelvic floor at least that many times, so there’s no need for prolonged sex sessions to get these benefits.’

 

4. Lower Anxiety and Depression: A study published in the Archives of Sexual Behaviour discovered that young women felt more depressed the longer they hadn’t had sex. Stuart Brody, professor of psychology specialising in sexual behaviour at the University of the West of Scotland, surmises that this could be because of the vaginal absorption of hormones in semen such as prostaglandins, testosterone and luteinizing hormone, which improves women’s moods. Dr Ghosh details, ‘Routinely now, when our patients – male or female – are diagnosed with depression or anxiety we encourage them to maintain their sex lives because it’s so beneficial for mental wellbeing’.

Categories: brain function, depression, dr ghosh, exercise, floor, Health Benefits, pelvic, pelvic floor, sexual, sexual activity, sexual behaviour, stronger pelvic

Sex: Why You Need To Be Taking It More Seriously

Most people find talking about sex really difficult and embarrassing, and healthcare providers are no exception to the rule. It’s no surprise that we often avoid the subject entirely, as it is considered to be a sensitive and potentially awkward conversation – especially if you don’t know the person you’re talking to, as is the case with healthcare providers. But learning about the sexual behaviour of patients is becoming a vital part of the process now, as part of creating a high quality, patient-focussed and more efficient form of health care. In a survey of 500 men and women over the age of 25, 85 per cent of the participants expressed an interest in discussing sexual topics with their doctor, although 71 per cent stated that their GP would most likely dismiss their concerns. The knowledge a GP has of their patient’s sexual history gives them the opportunity to educate and counsel them about STDs, HIV and viral hepatitis. But without this knowledge, they’re unable to know which tests and vaccinations are needed. Such diseases are mostly ‘silent’ and unnoticed so they can lead to more serious illnesses, as well as spreading to partners which increases the prevalence of the disease within the community. So when a GP doesn’t ask the question about sex, they aren’t just affecting the patient themselves – they’re also affecting the health of the people in the wider community as well. The new initiatives aim to greatly lower the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, which have risen significantly in recent years.

 

Studies show that gathering information about a patient’s’ sexual behaviour can be done in a very simple and effective way by asking three basic sexually-related questions regarding ones behaviour and risk:

• Have you been sexually active in the last year?


• Do you have sex with men only, women only, or both?


• How many sexual partners have you had in the last six months?

 

These questions help to give a really broad sense of a person’s sexual behaviour and their level of risk, which makes it easier for a GP to tailor a deeper discussion about their needs. It’s vital that GPs ensure that they assure their patients that this is something that they do with all their patients so that the individual doesn’t feel as though they are being singled out for their behaviour. This is especially the case for high-risk populations who have been marginalised or oppressed historically, such as transgender men or women, homosexual men and women, groups at high risk for HIV and STDs, and viral hepatitis. In order to help these groups, it’s important that their sexual history is described to their GP. This means asking questions such as:

• How often should people be tested for HIV and STDs?


• What vaccinations should be offered to whom?


• Why are some MSM at higher risk for HIV and STDs?

 

It may take time for GPs to feel comfortable speaking to their patients about sexual matters, their health, identities and desires. But once this becomes more routine, the stigma surrounding sex and sexual behaviour will also become less of an issue. This is important both in and out of a health care setting to make honest conversations about sex a more common occurrence. There are plenty of services available to provide education and help to people who need advice on sexual matters, as well as STD testing and advice on unplanned pregnancies – if you’re concerned, you should speak to your GP who can offer more information on the services in your local area.

Categories: behaviour, health care, healthcare, healthcare providers, high risk, Sex, sexual, sexual behaviour, sexual history, sexual matters, STDs, viral hepatitis

Bisexuality: What Does it Mean and How Does it Happen?

Orientation plays a huge role in your sexual wellness, with much sexual health research dedicated to studies on both heterosexuality and homosexuality. But what about bisexuality? As it stands, very little research has been conducted on bisexuality, and so less is known about how being bisexual affects your wellbeing. However, we’ve looked around for all the available information, so you can be in-the-know about bisexuality.

 

The Sinclair Intimacy Institute states, ‘Bisexuals are men and women who achieve sexual or erotic attraction to members of both sexes. Usually, but not always, the bisexual person engages in sexual activity with partners of both sexes. Slang terms referring to bisexuals are “AC/DC” (based on the term used to describe two types of electrical current), “switch-hitters” (a baseball term describing a batter who hits from either side of home plate depending on who’s pitching), or people who “swing both ways” (another baseball phrase, but may also relate to swinging as sexual behaviour).’

 

While little research has been done on bisexual behaviour, the studies that have been conducted show some fundamental factors involved in being bisexual. To clear up a few assumptions, let’s look at what bisexuals are not:

 

1. Bisexuals are not fundamentally homosexual but have a bit of heterosexual sex on the side.

 

2. Bisexuals are not fundamentally heterosexual but have a bit of homosexual sex on the side.

 

3. Bisexuals do not, at one point in their lives, engage in sexual behaviour with one sex and then, at another point, engage in sexual behavior with persons of the other sex. This is known as transitional bisexuality.

 

On a fundamental level, if you are bisexual, this means that you are sexually attracted to people of both sexes during the same general time period in your life. But how do you become bisexual? According to the Sinclair Intimacy Institute, ‘It is thought that people develop and experience bisexuality in a number of different ways. For some it begins as a form of experimentation that adds a spark to their sex lives, but it does not become the main arena of sexual activity. For others it is a deliberate choice to participate in whatever feels best at the moment.’

 

When it comes to bisexual behaviour, there are three particular sets of circumstances that have been thought to be conducive to bisexuality:

 

1. Friends with Benefits: The Sinclair Intimacy Institute notes, ‘Sexual experimentation in a relationship with a close friend is quite common among women and can also occur between two male friends or a male homosexual may develop a sexual relationship from a previously casual but friendly relationship with a woman.’

 

2. All Together Now: ‘Group sex is another avenue for bisexual experimentation,’ says the Sinclair Intimacy Institute.

 

3. Mind-Body Connection: ‘Some people adopt a bisexual philosophy as an outgrowth of a personal belief system,’ the Sinclair Intimacy Institute explains. ‘For instance, some women who have been active in the women’s movement find they are drawn closer to other women by the experience and translate this closeness into sexual expression.’

 

While these are common behaviours for bisexuals to experience, there is still a gender difference to bisexuality. The Sinclair Intimacy Institute details, ‘Men who are bisexuals are likely to experience homosexual attraction and engage in homosexual experiences before they become aware of their bisexuality. For women, on the other hand, the trend is to experience heterosexuality first. Although persons with a bisexual orientation do not fit simply into any one mould, there are a few patterns that may apply to many bisexuals. Some men and women seem to alternate their choice of sex partners randomly, depending on availability and circumstances. Some have committed relationships in this fashion, seeking a partner of the alternative sex when the current relationship ends.’

Categories: bisexual, bisexual behaviour, bisexuality, bisexuality nbsp, intimacy institute, men and women, nbsp, Research, sexual, sexual activity, sexual behaviour, sinclair intimacy

Study Finally Gives Guidelines for Identifying Sex Addiction

Sexual health experts have debated the existence of sex addiction for many years, in large part because, when it comes to identifying and diagnosing true forms of the condition, there has been a distinct lack of methodology. According to Rory Reid, an assistant professor and research psychologist at UCLA, sex addiction may still affect your wellbeing, and his study may have found a way to identify it using specific guidelines. In a statement, Reid commented, ‘The criteria for hypersexual disorder that have been proposed, and now tested, will allow researchers and clinicians to study, treat and develop prevention strategies for individuals at risk for developing hypersexual behaviour.’ So how do you identify sex addiction?

 

‘Identifying characteristics of sex addiction disorder is an important step in creating a definition for the condition, says award-winning wellness writer Hope Gillette, who points out the definition ‘entails more than just the desire to have sex frequently. The inability to break away from sexual activity may be one of the defining characteristics of sex addiction.’ However, the study researchers were keen to avoid turning common behaviours – such as watching porn or having sex often – into classifications of a disorder. For Reid, individuals with hypersexual disorder, ‘might consider the consequences momentarily, but somehow feel their need for sex is more important, and choose sex even in situations where such choices might cause significant problems or harm.’

 

For the study, 207 individuals who had been referred to a mental health clinic –152 of whom had been referred for a sexual behaviour problem, 35 had other psychiatric issues, and 20 individuals were referred for substance abuse – were interviewed. The researchers defined hypersexual disorder as ‘recurrent and intense sexual fantasies, sexual urges, and sexual behaviour’ and noted that patients were required to be under distress or unable to maintain aspects of a normal life because of these sexual urges, in order for a diagnosis to occur. The participants were asked about their frequency of participating in sexual behaviours, such as going to strip clubs, engaging in telephone or cybersex, having sex with other consenting adults, masturbating, and watching pornography.

 

‘Using the established criteria, Reid’s team identified 134 of the patients with sexual behaviour issues established as hypersexual disorder,’ Gillette details. ‘Eighteen of the original 152 patients with sexual disorders were found to have a different mental health issue or no issue at all. The majority of other patients in the study not originally there for a sexual behaviour issue were diagnosed with their original condition or a condition other than sexual addiction. In addition to being able to positively identify hypersexual disorder, researchers found study participants who were diagnosed with sex addiction disorder also indicated masturbation and pornography viewing was considered problematic, so much that some individuals had lost their jobs because of the behaviours.’

 

Moreover, if you have a sex addiction disorder, you’re more likely to perform disruptive sexual behaviours despite knowing the consequences. Reid explained, ‘It’s not that a lot of people don’t take sexual risks from time to time or use sex on occasion to cope with stress or just escape, but for these patients, it’s a constant pattern that escalates until their desire for sex is controlling every aspect of their lives and they feel powerless in their efforts to change.’ If you’re concerned that you may have a sex addiction, you need to identify with a number of the following factors outlined in the study:

 

• Recurring pattern of sexual fantasies


• Urges and behaviours lasting a period of six months or longer, that is not caused by other issues or disorders.


• Pattern of sexual activity in response to unpleasant mood states or to cope with stress


• Failure to reduce or stop sexual behaviour even when known as problematic. Reid added, ‘As with many other mental health disorders, there must also be evidence of personal distress caused by the sexual behaviours that interfere with relationships, work or other important aspects of life.’

Categories: addiction disorder, hypersexual disorder, identifying factors, Mental Health, Research, Sex Addiction, sexual activity, sexual behaviour, sexual behaviours, sexual fantasies

Are You Engaging in Compulsive Sexual Behaviour?

There are many conditions that affect sexual health, but fewer that also have an impact on your mental wellness. This is the case with compulsive sexual behaviour, which is actually classified as a mental disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Also known as hypersexuality, hypersexual disorder, nymphomania or sexual addiction, compulsive sexual behaviour is an obsession with sexual thoughts, feelings and behaviours that affect all aspects of your wellbeing.

 

If you suffer from hypersexual disorder, this may mean you have fantasies or enjoy activities outside the bounds of culturally, legally or morally accepted sexual behaviour, or you may have had a normally enjoyable sexual experience that has now become an obsession. Regardless of the exact nature of the behaviour, untreated compulsive sexual behaviour can damage your health, job, relationships, self-esteem and other parts of your life. However, there are treatment and self-help tools available to help you manage compulsive sexual behaviour and keep your urges in check.

 

When generally acceptable sexual acts are taken to an extreme, it becomes a problem when they become an obsession that’s disruptive or harmful to you or others. These paraphilias vary in type and severity, ranging from compulsive cross-dressing to having sexual desires toward children (paedophilia). But how do you know if you’re struggling with compulsive sexual behaviour?

 

1. You have intense sexual impulses that feel as if they’re beyond your control.

 

2. Even though you feel driven to do certain sexual behaviours, the activity isn’t always a source of pleasure or satisfaction.

 

3. You have other problems – such as loneliness, depression, anxiety or stress – from which you use compulsive sexual behaviour as an escape.

 

4. In spite of serious consequences – such as getting or giving someone else a sexually transmitted infection, the loss of important relationships, trouble at work, or legal problems – you continue to engage in risky sexual behaviours.

 

5. Even if you’re married or in a committed relationship, you have trouble establishing and maintaining emotional closeness.

 

If any of this sounds familiar, it may be time to consult a medical health professional. It’s best to see a doctor as soon as possible, as compulsive sexual behaviour tends to become more intense and difficult to control over time. You may think you can control your urges via sheer force of will, but these urges can be too powerful even with the greatest dedication and willpower. If you’re deciding whether to seek professional help, ask yourself:

 

• Can you control your sexual impulses?


• Is your sexual behaviour hurting your relationships, affecting your work or resulting in negative consequences, such as getting arrested?


• Is sex constantly on your mind, even when you don’t want to think about it?


• Do you try to hide your sexual behaviour?

 

If you’ve answered yes to these questions, you should speak to a doctor. Moreover, if you think you may cause harm with uncontrolled sexual behaviour, are suicidal or you have bipolar disorder or other problems with impulse control, and you feel like your sexual behaviour is slipping out of control, it is absolutely crucial that you seek immediate medical help. Treatment for compulsive sexual behaviour typically involves psychotherapy, medications and self-help groups. The primary aim of these treatments is to help you to maintain healthy sexual activities while managing your urges and reducing your excessive behaviours. This might involve inpatient treatment, at least in the initial stages, but whether it’s inpatient or outpatient, treatment may be intense at first, and you may find periodic, ongoing treatment through the years may help to prevent relapses.

Categories: behaviour, behaviour nbsp, compulsive sexual, compulsive sexual behaviour, hypersexual disorder, nbsp, sexual, sexual behaviour, sexual behaviours, sexual impulses, Symptoms, treatment

Does Social Pressure Influence Our Sexual Behaviour?

Young people often look to whether they think their partners are ‘clean’ or ‘unclean’ before embarking on a sexual relationship with them, rather than finding out if there are any health risks. In a recent study, researchers discovered that factors such as this influence a young person’s sexual practices, and the patterns are very similar across the world. As nearly half of new HIV infections across the world occur in people aged 15 to 24 years, the changes in sexual behaviour in this group is vital to stem the spread of disease. The findings of this study could help to guide people to more successful safe-sex practices. The results also offer an insight into why so many HIV programmes haven’t been effective. These programmes usually focus on non-social reasons to explain why teens and young adults don’t use condoms, such as ignorance and barriers to access. As a result, all these programmes offer is advice about sex and condoms, without really looking into the social factors that affect them which is dangerous as it is too generic to factor in everyone and their own views on sex.

Researchers found seven common themes, five of which relate to sexual behaviour in general and two pertaining to condom use. The results could point to possible reasons why a teen would put themselves under risk sexually when they find themselves in such a situation. When it comes to condom use, it’s important that both boys and girls use perception to determine the need for condom protection. There are a number of reasons why people don’t feel the need to use condoms – one man in a study stated ‘depends how easy she is’ as a reason for not always using protection. All of the societies studied had a strikingly similar expectation of sexual behaviour in both genders, with men expected to be extremely heterosexually active and women chaste. Because they fear shameful and embarrassing labels, many women don’t want to say yes immediately to a man’s sexual advances. But researchers state that this ‘no’ is difficult to interpret. For men, there is also the stigma attached to a lack of experience in bed or not going out with a lot of women.

Since the advent of HIV and AIDs, there have been many more studies surrounding sexual behaviour. Many of these have focused on changing sexual practices. While the information gathered in these studies is useful, researchers claim that it isn’t as useful for understanding the reasons for the behaviour itself. Qualitative research helps to describe, they say, as well as find the reasons for it surrounding the social context. The results could explain why a woman would neglect to use a condom despite having plenty of knowledge on the subject as well as access to protection. From the seven themes, policy makers could help to create a local profile of factors that influence sexual behaviours. This could be a great template for briefing public health authorities to see which sexual health campaigns will be most useful. One idea for further research is to look at the sexual behaviour of deviants, who don’t follow the norm when it comes to sexual practices. More research could focus on men who refuse intercourse and why, for example. Or it may look into what makes people who demand condoms even with long-term partners, and what makes them different to their peers. There is much scope for more in-depth safe-sex campaigns.

Categories: behaviour, new study, people, reasons, safe sex, sexual, sexual behaviour, sexual health, sexual practices, social, teens

Porn Has Little Impact on Teen Sexual Behaviour, Study Finds

No parent likes to think about what their teenager is watching on the internet, in part because you worry that this will have an impact on your teen’s sexual health and wellbeing. Many parents as concerned that viewing sexually explicit programmes or content on websites may distort young people’s view of sex, leading them to put their wellness at risk by having sex with multiple partners. However, this is not, in fact, the case, say researchers from the Netherlands.

 

While a new report, published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, showed that watching porn does have some effect on teen sexual behaviour, it does not truly influence whether a young adult will have risky sex or lots of partners. The results of the study revealed that watching porn can make your teenager to have a one-night stand or sex for money, but the influence porn has is minimal compared to other factors, like personality type, educational and family background, and poverty. This was based on a survey 4,600 young people between the ages of 15 and 25 living in the Netherlands during 2008-2009.

 

The researchers, led by Gert Martin Hald of the Department of Public Health at the University of Copenhagen, found that 88% of teenage boys and 45% of teenage girls had looked at some form of sexually explicit media over the past year. This included all kinds of porn, such as bondage, soft core, and violent images, but the influence of that porn on behaviour was small, albeit scientifically significant. The scientists classified sexual behaviours into three broad areas: adventurous sex (e.g. threesomes or sex with someone met online), partner experience (such as one-night stands) and transactional sex, involving payment. Watching porn increased the likelihood of young adults saying “yes” to one or more of these behaviours.

 

However, the important element of this study is that Hald and his team also asked questions gauging traits like gender, age, education, religious belief, relationship status, ethnicity, self-esteem, sexual sensation-seeking (how driven a person is to seek new experiences) and others. According to Hald, even though few studies have tried to incorporate these other factors, ‘associations between porn and sexual behaviour or attitudes really always should be studied in conjunction with other relevant factors, such as personality.’

 

Young people with the personality type of sexual sensation-seeking were highly likely to engage in risky sexual behaviours. Hald explained, ‘only 2-3% of our sample engaged in transactional behaviours, and the proportion of these behaviours explained by porn viewing was only 1% for men and 2% for women.’ He noted that other factors, such as poverty and culture, were more important. The frequency of looking at porn explained only about 3-4% of behaviour, and so, the study concluded, ‘This suggests that frequency of [porn] consumption is just one factor among many that may influence the sexual behaviours of young people.’

 

Still, it’s important to note that this study took place in the Netherlands, which has somewhat more liberal sexual cultures where, for example, prostitution is legal. Hald commented, ‘I think that the social and sexual context of viewing pornography impacts the association between pornography and the sexual behavioural outcomes studied.’ Chauntelle Tibbals, a sociologist at the University of Southern California who studies the adult entertainment industry, agreed, pointing out that young people may turn to porn for sex clues in countries that don’t provide solid sex education. ‘If you did not already know about this in real life, or have sex education, or experience it with a peer, and you see it in porn, you may think, “Oh, I want to do that,”’ she said.

Categories: personality type, Porn, Research, sensation seeking, sex education, sexual behaviour, sexual behaviours, sexually explicit, Teen Sex, teen sexual, watching porn, young people

What Health Issues Do Lesbian and Bisexual Women Face?

All women have certain risks that specifically affect their wellbeing, but certain issues are particularly a cause for concern among women who have sex with women. This is not just a case of sexual health risks – although that plays a part in your wellness – but lesbian and bisexual women face an increased risk of physical and mental health problems too.

 

1. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs): Some STIs can spread between women, particularly through oral sex, sexual behaviour involving digital-vaginal or digital-anal contact, and shared penetrative sex toys. Through these means, you’re at an increased risk of human papillomavirus (HPV), bacterial vaginosis, trichomonas and HIV, so it’s important to do everything you can to protect yourself from these STIs. Make sure you get tested regularly, and that whomever you have sex with has also been tested. During oral sex, use a split-open condom, dental dam (a small piece of latex) or plastic wrap. Finally, don’t share sex toys, protect them with a condom and make sure you clean them before and after every use.

 

2. Depression: Lesbians and bisexual women might be at higher risk of depression and anxiety, especially young people who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. This could be due to a number of factors, including social alienation, discrimination, rejection by loved ones, abuse and violence. The fear of these negative reactions causes some women to try and hide their orientation or to forgo social support, but this makes depression all the more likely for these women. Depression, when left untreated, can add to your risk of unsafe sexual behaviour, as well as a downward spiral of emotional, behavioural, health, legal and financial problems. Therefore, it’s vital that you confide in a trusted loved one, and seek help from a doctor or mental health provider.

 

3. Substance abuse: There are unique risk factors involved in lesbians and bisexual women experiencing substance abuse. You might rely on drugs or alcohol due to the stress of passing as a heterosexual or coming out, sexism, discrimination, relying on bars or clubs for socialising and peer support and the trauma of bullying, violence, abuse or self-abuse. Contact your local lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender health, mental health or community centres for substance abuse treatment or get a referral from organisations like the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association.

 

4. Domestic violence: As domestic violence is traditionally depicted as a man abusing a woman, women in a relationship with other women don’t think it can happen to them. However, domestic violence can affect anyone in an intimate relationship, so you need to watch out for the warning signs. If your partner threatens to tell others about your sexual orientation or gender identity, tells you that authorities won’t help a homosexual, bisexual or transgendered person, tells you that leaving the relationship means you’re admitting that homosexual relationships are deviant or tells you that domestic violence can’t occur in homosexual relationships or that women can’t be violent, this indicates abuse and you should tell someone – be it a friend, loved one, health care provider or other close contact. You might also consider calling a domestic violence hotline and creating a plan to leave your abuser.

 

5. Routine healthcare: Many women who have sex with women find it difficult to discuss their needs and concerns with a doctor, or to find a doctor knowledgeable about lesbian health issues. However, you need to choose a doctor who encourages you to discuss sexual issues in an easy environment, so make sure you identify yourself as lesbian or bisexual when picking your GP, and ask about routine screenings recommended for women in your age group.

Categories: Bisexual Women, domestic violence, gay bisexual, health concerns, homosexual relationships, lesbian gay, Lesbians, Mental Health, oral sex, sexual behaviour, substance abuse

Age and Sexuality: Understand Your Sex Life as You Get Older

There is a common myth that as people get older they stop wanting to have sex, or stop being able to have enjoyable sex. Whilst it is true that you have to safeguard your sexual health as you get older, in truth there are plenty of older people who enjoy fulfilling sex lives.

 

In order to make sure that you preserve your sexuality as you get older, you need to first look at prioritising your wellness and wellbeing. For women, this is often a mental or emotional thing, where they see their aging bodies in a certain way and feel that age has somehow ‘broken’ their bodies. The media is also extremely guilty of playing a strong role in this, by only portraying certain kinds of women (young, firm and perky!) as being sexually attractive.

 

The menopause and other changes that occur in the midlife period can have some difficult effects on sexuality, but they no longer need to be considered as a barrier to future healthy sex lives. It has become a bit of folklore in a way, and many women fear that after the menopause they will no longer want to have sex with their partners, or will not enjoy sex. In truth, with the modern options (both hormonal and non-hormonal) that are available to help counteract the effects of the menopause, sex after the menopause can be just as good as before.

 

Sexuality is important for human wellness, and adults should be encouraged, as they grow older, to continue to engage in sexual behaviour as they get older. This can either mean continuing to actively seek out sexual contact with your partner, or to enjoy sexual behaviour that doesn’t involve actual intercourse (such as intimacy with a partner, or with yourself). The more sex or sexual response that you have, the more that you will find that you want it. Sexuality and arousal work best when they are regularly stimulated.

Categories: Age, older, Sex, sex lives, sexual, sexual behaviour, sexuality

How Do We Tackle Harmful Sexual Behaviour in Children?

Children who exhibit problematic sexual behaviour in Bristol and South Gloucestershire are being targeted by a new £450,000 specialist treatment programme. Working with children between the ages of eight and 12, the programme will seek to improve their sexual health, and, as a result, the wellbeing of others whom these children could be harmful towards.

The North Bristol NHS Trust and Barnardo’s South West are launching the extended Be Safe Children’s Service, which has received £444,500 from the Big Lottery Realising Ambition fund to set up the programme. The sexually harmful behaviour of children can be directed towards other children and their parents or caregivers, often because the children have been the victim of abuse themselves.

For the last five years, the Be Safe Service has been delivering services to teenagers with concerning sexual behaviour and their families, but now the new funding has enabled the service to launch an intervention programme to work with younger children. According to Stephen Barry, a specialist clinician for the Be Safe Service, there is a significant gap in service for this age group, and the new service could really meet that need.

He commented, ‘We know that children who behave in a sexually harmful way towards other children are often victims of abuse themselves. This could be sexual, physical, emotional abuse, exposure to domestic abuse and/or neglect – although this is not always the case. It is important therefore that we work in partnership with other organisations to reach some of the most troubled young people in the community, identify harmful behaviour and provide the support and treatment needed to deal with it at an early stage’

The Oklahoma University Health Sciences Centre in America developed the programme, which works by providing cognitive behavioural and psychological treatment and support, in the hopes eliminating or reducing problematic sexual behaviour in children. In the UK, the programme is being run as part of the Children’s Community Health Partnership.

Annie Hudson, Bristol City Council strategic director for children and young people, noted, ‘Be Safe is a tried and trusted service for professionals who work with children to make referrals when young people show worrying sexual behaviour. By extending the service to younger children we now have greater opportunities to tackle the issue early in life to help prevent problems later on.’

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How Do We Tackle Harmful Sexual Behaviour in Children?

Categories: harmful, sexual behaviour, tackle