You may have never previously heard of the term genophobia, and therefore may not know who might have it. This supposes the fear of coitus, a problem that can greatly affect sexual relations as a couple and any relationship in general.
If you want to know how to treat genophobia or fear of intercourse, throughout this article we are going to explain what it is and how you can deal with it. To begin with, you should know that it is an alteration that can affect both men and women; and that the causes can be very diverse.
This phobia depends on the subjective experiences of each person, as occurs with many other problems that are related to sex.
What is genophobia
The term “genophobia” refers to the excessive or unreasonable fear that a person presents for the fact of having intercourse. This problem to maintain sex has the condition of phobia, being a pathological condition.
This is because the exercise of the sexual act is needed for reproduction or to enjoy pleasure and enjoyment. However, people who suffer from genophobia consider that they will feel a totally opposite result, that is, it is associated with fear, rejection, anxiety or suffering.
This intercourse should be enjoyed both biologically and emotionally and psychologically. However, in this case, being a phobia, physical, emotional and psychological discomfort is felt.
Symptoms of genophobia
Before explaining how to treat genophobia or fear of intercourse, it is important to take into account the symptoms associated with this problem. In this way, it can be understood that this phobia is suffered when some situations such as the following occur:
- excessive sweating
- Sensation of drowning and/or suffocation
- Tingling sensation in some parts of the body
- dry mouth
- palpitations
- Crisis of panic
- Fear
Being genophobia, these symptoms can appear at the time of penetration, but also in other situations in which the experience of intercourse is covered in some aspect, even with a conversation in which this matter is discussed or some caresses or actions with a sexual connotation.
In fact, on many occasions, those people who have this phobia end up adopting asexuality as a way of life. They do it as a way to protect themselves from this type of sexual situation that can cause them so much discomfort.
Causes of genophobia
There is no specific cause as such for fear of intercourse. The usual cause is usually, therefore, some previous traumatic experience, although it must be taken into account that there are a series of factors that can also invite this phobia to be suffered, such as:
- Pain-provoking conditions: This motivates the person to try to avoid sex and even view it in a negative light. Some condition such as genitor-pelvic pain may be the cause of this fear.
- Dysfunction: Suffering from some type of condition can prevent intercourse from developing normally, generating a discomfort that causes genophobia.
- Traumatic experiences: On many occasions, traumatic experiences prior to the sexual act can lead to fear of penetration.
- Lack of information: The lack of information about sexuality can also influence fear of penetration.
How to deal with the fear of sexual intercourse
Once the causes and symptoms of this phobia are known, it is time to tell you how to treat genophobia or fear of intercourse. For this, it is necessary to resort to professional treatment to assess each particular case.
For this, the specialists will be in charge of assessing the different techniques to treat the problem according to the cause that has caused it. It is necessary to turn to professionals since these are the ones who will be able to identify the scope and treatment of the condition suffered.
Sometimes, depending on the diagnosis and prognosis, it is necessary to apply both psychotherapy and drug therapy. Among the most used psychotherapeutic techniques are those of a cognitive behavioral type.
If you consider that you suffer from genophobia, it is recommended that you go to a professional to treat it, although there are some techniques that you can use to try to solve this problem, such as the following:
- Progressive muscle relaxation. It consists of carrying out deep and slow breathing techniques while becoming aware of one’s own body, living in the present moment and advocating for achieving a relaxation of different muscle groups.
- Breathing exercises: There are different breathing techniques that can help to solve this problem. Guided relaxation can help achieve the goal of resolving this fear.
- Exposure exercises: In many cases, exposure exercises are carried out, the purpose of which is to face that medium gradually or instantly. For this, the use of different tools is resorted to and even submitting to the real stimulus.
