Dear Dr. Flex,My husband and I have been together for the past five years and I notice that he has lost pretty much all his sex drive. We got married in 2005. We used to be very intimate and playful but things have slowly gone downhill. I used to be able to arouse him at least a couple times a week, then it went to once a week and now I cants even keep track.
I thought it was a weight issue so I went on a diet and lost 15 pounds to be back where I was when we got together. That didnt change anything. I can run around my house naked and he doesnt even notice. I go to bed trying to be affectionate and he just rejects me left and right.
I have started seeing a therapist myself because this has led to some self-esteem, rejection, and self-security issues. Is there any advice as to what might be happening and how I might be able to get back the man I fell in love with? Dr. Flex, its not just sex anymore, we dont do anything at all. S.L., St. Andrew
Dear S.L., Your question was about your husbands sex drive, but you also said that it was not just sex anymore, you dont do anything at all.
You did not elaborate, but I assume that you meant that you and your husband have become detached. The fact that you are going to a therapist alone makes me a bit concerned that he is no longer involved in the marriage, let alone in sex. If that is the case, the problem is bigger than treating sexual appetite and function.
On the other hand, men are usually open to sex, even in a bad relationship. The fact that he ignores you when you are being sexually provocative and actively rejects you when you are sexually aggressive is telling another story.
I think that you need to have a serious talk with him and find out what is going on in his mind. He could be suffering from a physical ailment, such as diabetes and hypertension, he is not sharing with you or doesnt know that he has. This can lead to impotence if not treated. Or your body is there with him, but his mind in on the other woman.
He needs to come clean with you so that you can have a better understanding. For the relationship to last for five years, there must have been some sparks. Both of you need to see the therapist.