Post-traumatic stress seriously affects sexual abilities

Washington: A new study has revealed that posttraumatic stress can have profound effects on sexual health.

Although sexual dysfunction is not a specific symptom of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it is a frequent complaint among trauma survivors and a new review finds that PTSD-related biological and cognitive processes may contribute to the development of sexual dysfunction following traumatic stress.

The authors note that trauma exposure can profoundly rupture an individual's sense of safety and the ability to trust and feel connected to others, which may result in an association of arousal with threat.

Co-author Amy Lehrner said that it is clear that PTSD is associated with sexual problems, even among relatively young people regardless of the type of trauma they experienced.

Lehrner added that they need to better understand this relationship and develop new treatments for sexual dysfunction in PTSD that will improve quality of life and promote resilience among trauma survivors.

The study appears in The Journal of Sexual Medicine.