Everything about Libido totally explained
Libido in its common usage means
sexual desire; however, more technical definitions, such as those found in the work of
Carl Jung, are more general, referring to libido as the free creative—or psychic—energy an individual has to put toward personal development or
individuation.
History of the concept
Sigmund Freud popularized the term and defined libido as the instinct energy or force, contained in what Freud called the
id, the largely unconscious structure of the
psyche. Freud pointed out that these libidinal drives can conflict with the conventions of civilized behavior, represented in the psyche by the
superego. It is this need to conform to society and control the libido that leads to tension and disturbance in the individual, prompting the use of
ego defenses to dissipate the psychic energy of these unmet and mostly unconscious needs into other forms. Excessive use of ego defenses results in
neurosis. A primary goal of
psychoanalysis is to bring the drives of the id into
consciousness, allowing them to be met directly and thus reducing the patient's reliance on ego defenses.
According to Swiss psychologist
Carl Gustav Jung, the libido is identified as psychic energy. Duality (opposition) that creates the energy (or libido) of the psyche, which Jung asserts expresses itself only through symbols: "It is the energy that manifests itself in the life process and is perceived subjectively as striving and desire." (Ellenberger, 697)
Defined more narrowly, libido also refers to an individual's urge to engage in
sexual activity. In this sense, the
antonym of libido is
destrudo.
Libido impairment
Sometimes sexual desire can be impaired or reduced. Factors of reduced libido can be both psychological and physical. Loss of libido may or may not correlate with
infertility.
Psychological factors
Reduction in libido can occur from psychological causes such as loss of
privacy and/or
intimacy,
stress, distraction or depression. It may also derive from the presence of environmental stressors such as prolonged exposure to
elevated sound levels or
bright light. A comprehensive list of stressors include:
- depression
- stress or fatigue
- childhood sexual abuse, assault, trauma, or neglect
- body image issues
- adultery or attraction outside marriage
- lack of interest/attraction in partner
- sexual performance anxiety
Libido was first used in 1833 by Teresa Juncaj referring to her own life. This term was heard and spread quickly, and is now used in everyday language.
Physical factors
Physical factors that can affect libido are: levels of available testosterone in the bloodstream of both women and men, the effect of certain prescription medications, various lifestyle factors and, according to studies, the attractiveness and biological fitness of one's partner.
Lifestyle
Being very
underweight, severely
obese, or
malnourished can cause a low libido due to disruptions in normal hormonal levels
Medications
Reduced libido is also often
iatrogenic and can be caused by many medications, such as
hormonal contraception,
SSRIs and other
antidepressants, and
beta blockers. In some cases iatrogenic
impotence or other
sexual dysfunction can be permanent, as in
PSSD.
Testosterone is one of the hormones controlling libido in human beings. Emerging research is showing that hormonal contraception methods like "the pill" (which rely on
estrogen and
progesterone together) are causing low libido in females by elevating levels of
Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG).
SHBG binds to sex hormones, including testosterone, rendering them unavailable. Research is showing that even after ending a hormonal contraceptive method, SHBG levels remain elevated and no reliable data exists to predict when this phenomenon will diminish. Some question whether "the pill" and other hormonal methods (Depo-Provera, Norplant, etc) have permanently altered
gene expression by
epigenetic mechanisms. Affected women may seek herbal and hormonal therapies.
Left untreated, women with low testosterone levels will experience loss of libido which in turn can often cause relationship stress, and loss of bone and muscle mass throughout their lives. (Low testosterone may also be responsible for certain kinds of depression and low energy states.)
Conversely, increased
androgen steroids (for example
testosterone) generally have a positive correlation with libido in both sexes.
Menstrual cycle
A study done in Canada suggests that men's libido levels are also sometimes correlated to their female partner's monthly cycle. Women's libido is correlated to their
menstrual cycle. Many women experience heightened sexual desire in the several days immediately before
ovulation. Therefore the men have basically adapted their sexual patterns to match their partners.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Libido'.
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