“Sexuality is a spectrum!” is a remark made by Euphoria’s Maddy Perez, a fan favourite character on the HBO hit TV show. Needless to say, this line has since become one of the show’s most iconic moments. It not only describes the wide range of sexual preferences among people, but also the fluidity of sexuality and how it develops through time.
A person’s sexual orientation determines who they do or do not feel attraction towards, and it’s most often sexual or romantic. But it can be confusing for some, when they realize they don’t feel it at all. While this lack of sexual attraction may indicate asexuality, it could also be related to some deeper problems that can manifest in reactions of anxiety, fear, and even disgust towards sex. So, which one are you? Here are some signs it’s sexual aversion disorder, not asexuality.
Asexuality Is Evident Since Young
Asexuality is a sexual orientation, and it encompasses a number of different identities and experiences. If you’re asexual, the lack of sexual attraction is early onset, and it’s more of a lifelong pattern of no sexual desire. This is different from being sex averse, since people who have this disorder may remember having sexual feelings or had experimented with sex in their early days. So, if you’ve always felt different from your peers, and have always had a lack of sexual desire or attraction, then it may be asexuality. But if you have had sexual attraction or feelings in the past, but now feel uncomfortable with the idea of sex, then you have SAD. You may also be completely fine with seeing sexual acts, but the idea of participating in sex yourself may repulse you.
You Feel Bothered By Sexual Themes
In some cases, even the sight of sex can repel you. Say you’re texting someone and they try to make a move on you, or they start to steer the conversation in a more sexual direction, how would you react? Would you just brush it off and think, “nope, not interested,” and move on with your day, or would you start feeling anxious and tense, and you’d wanna get out of that situation ASAP? According to the Diagnostic Statistic Manual, people with sexual aversion disorder may experience psychological symptoms like extreme anxiety, fear and sense of threat, and even panic attacks that can trigger nausea, dizziness, faintness, and breathing difficulties.
You Feel Held Back From Sexual Acts
Contrary to common belief, asexuality is also a spectrum disorder, with feelings about sex and romance varying widely from person to person. Asexual people may still have sex, be sexually aroused, and be in happy, healthy relationships. They just may not have the same sex drive or interest as other folks. In a 2021 study, asexual individuals and those with a sexual aversion disorder were shown sexual and non-sexual images. They wanted to know which groups were more interested in the sexual imagery. According to the findings, asexual people paid less attention to the more explicit photos than those with sexual dysfunction, who focused on the sexual images rather than the non-sexual one. This means that those with sexual aversion disorder may still be interested in sex-related things, but may feel held back from acting on it.
You Feel Bad About Your Lack Of Sexual Desire
All that anxiety and fear surrounding sex could make a person feel bad about themselves, which could be a sign that it’s something more than asexuality. In a 2015 research, they studied whether asexuality was an extreme variant of sexual aversion disorder by comparing groups of asexuals and those with sexual aversion disorder. They found that those with the sexual dysfunction had significantly greater psychological distress and higher levels of depression compared to asexuals. This could indicate that those who suffer from the dysfunction may feel bad about it and may want to change it. Asexuals, on the other hand, generally don’t mind their orientation and are able to accept themselves, despite the difficulties they may face with romantic partners and dealing with the expectations of society.
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