Some people with sexual aversion disorder seek emotionally intimate relationships with other people, while others avoid these relationships entirely for fear of them turning sexual. Sexual aversion can take a real toll on any emotional relationships, as parties without sexual aversion disorder can become hurt by their partners’ reactions to their body and sexual advances.
Many people with sexual aversion disorder are repulsed by the bodies or genitals of the people they would typically form emotional relationships with. For example, a heterosexual male with sexual aversion disorder may find the smell or look of vaginas distasteful.
Past trauma, such as sexual abuse, incest, or harmful attitudes about sex passed down from parents, can cause sexual aversion disorder. The condition may also come about due to fears of the potential consequences of sex, such as pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and poor sexual performance.
People with sexual aversion disorder may learn to develop a healthy attitude to sex through intensive counseling. Desensitization techniques, cognitive therapy, sexual education, and other approaches may be beneficial for people with sexual aversion therapy.