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Genophobia is an irrational fear of sex or intercourse that can induce panic symptoms. It can be caused by a history of sexual abuse, medical conditions, or exposure to graphic sexual material. Treatment can include therapy and medication, and there is no shame in seeking help. The term can also refer to criticism of sexually repressed societies.
Genophobia is an irrational fear of sex or intercourse. When such issues are discussed or attempted, the condition can induce a state of panic in the genophobic person. Panic symptoms might include panic attack, rapid breathing, rapid pulse, sweating, dry mouth, and inability to complete any sexual act. There are a number of reasons people may develop genophobia, and sometimes people will have the condition for no specific reason.
Clearly, some of the root causes can be things like a history of sexual assault or a history of sexual abuse. When the introduction to sexual behavior is violent or manipulative instead of pleasurable, it can taint all future attempts at sexual intercourse, no matter how kind or mutually desired. Sometimes the cause is medical instead of having to do with previous abuse.
Men who have suffered from frequent bouts of erectile dysfunction may develop fear of any sexual contact in the form of fear of failure. Women who have medical conditions that make sex painful may also begin to fear intercourse. Occasionally, there is no known cause, or the development of the phobia may have been triggered in childhood when children were exposed to graphic sexual visual material on TV, books, or movies.
It should be understood that this disorder causes a severe reaction to the idea of sex and to any attempts at sexual behavior. People aren’t moderately concerned about the relationship. Instead, they develop extreme anxiety about it. This can make life very difficult, especially if a person is involved in a relationship with another person in which sexual intercourse would normally be expected. Those with genophobia may also avoid relationships because they are terrified of sexual intimacy, making them very lonely.
As with any phobia, there are methods to help treat genophobia. These can include a combination of therapy and medication, and people generally seek out therapists who are psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed counselors, or licensed clinical social workers. It’s also a good idea to rule out potential physical causes creating the condition. For example, if a woman experiences pain during intercourse, resulting in a fear of sex, she should have a complete gynecological exam to determine if any physical symptoms are making intercourse difficult.
Many of the medications that might be used to treat anxiety associated with genophobia need to be carefully prescribed, and a psychiatrist may be your best resource in this matter. A number of antidepressant and antianxiety medications have reduced libido as a side effect. Therefore doctors should look for those medications, which can help treat panic without reducing the desire for sex, or reducing the potential for sexual fulfillment.
What people should be aware of with this condition, is that there is no shame in it. This fear is like any other phobia, and while it can be difficult to seek help, treatment with therapy and possibly medication can help resolve the condition. Working with therapists and psychiatrists is strictly governed by privacy laws and people need not worry about any aspect of their condition being shared with others.
Another use of the term genophobia may involve criticism of societies believed to be sexually repressed. Some cultures are more sexually open than others, and in some cases cultures such as the United States are regarded as having puritanical views and could be labeled as genophobic. This additional definition has very little to do with a real phobia which can make life difficult for many people.
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