ABSTRACT
AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of lockdown on sexual functioning in India. In addition, impact of lockdown on relationship with the partner and mental health was evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An online survey was conducted using changes in sexual functioning questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire-4, and a self-designed questionnaire. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 41.5 (standard deviation: 11.2; range: 22-77; median: 39.5) years, with the majority being males 385 (85.6%). The participants reported that lockdown led to reduction in the frequency of sexual intercourse and also touching the partner (fondling, caressing, touching, or kissing) when not indulging in sexual intercourse. Majority of the participants reported improvement in the overall relationship, communication with the partner, and interpersonal conflicts. About two-fifths of the participants reported engaging in sexual intercourse more than twice a week or more. About one-fifth screened positive for psychiatric morbidity, with 14.2% screened positive for anxiety, 14.8% screened positive for depression and 8.7% screened positive for both. In both genders, presence of depression and anxiety were associated with lower sexual functioning in all the domains. CONCLUSION: Lockdown led to a reduction in the frequency of sexual intercourse, and reduction in the frequency of intimacy in the form of fondling, caressing, touching, or kissing partner when not doing sexual intercourse. However, lockdown led to the improvement in overall relationship and communication with the partners and a reduction in interpersonal conflicts.
ABSTRACT
Substance abuse and addictive disorders are very common in the community. Patients with addictive disorders frequently experience sexual dysfunctions and chronic use of substances tends to adversely affect all stages of sexual response, in both male and female abusers. An important aspect in the management of sexual dysfunction is psychosocial intervention. In addictive disorders, sexual dysfunction is of high clinical relevance, as it often leads to treatment non adherence and sexual or marital disharmony. Instead of a disease-centred approach, a couple and relationship centred approach of management is desirable. A detailed history about the sexual dysfunction, the addictive disorder and enquiry into various psychosocial aspects is mandatory for adequate management of the same. Sexual therapy, behavioural techniques, systematic sensitization and desensitization are some of the techniques used in the management of sexual dysfunction in addictive disorders. The assessment and treatment need to be tailored depending upon the various psychosocial aspects of the individual.
ABSTRACT
Addiction is the term employed not only for excess consumption of substances, but also for problem behaviours like eating disorders, pathological gambling, computer addiction and pathological preoccupation with video games and sexual acts. No clear diagnostic criterion has been established with validity for behavioral addictions. Sexual addiction, including addiction to pornography is not included as a separate entity because of a lack of strong empirical evidence in this area. Different scales can be used for assessment of sexual addiction. Since there is an absence of established diagnostic criteria, the significance of validity of these scales is doubted. Several of the questions in these scales do not yield information about whether the diagnostic criteria are met or not. Pharmacotherapy, together with psychotherapy proves to have a better outcome in such patients as it helps to synthesize the role of developmental antecedents, reduce current anxiety, depression, guilt and to improve social adjustment.
