According To Research, Decreased Sexual Desire Due To Feelings Of Less Intimacy

Illustration of a couple talking (Pexels/Pavel Danilyuk)

JAKARTA – Intimacy with a partner is not solely related to sexuality. But emotional or emotional intimacy affects sexual desire.

There are various ways to strengthen emotional intimacy with your partner. Reported by Psychology Today, Wednesday, August 25, in the Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy predicts that there is a link between feelings of intimacy and sexual desire.

Robert Sternberg points out that in love there are three components, namely commitment, passion, and emotional intimacy. Departing from the knot, intimacy and passion affect each other.

Commitment, serves as a decision to maintain a love relationship. Arousal is the drive, impulse, and motivation that leads to romantic attraction and sex. Well, intimacy is a feeling of connectedness, closeness, and warmth.

Intimacy doesn't just exist in romantic relationships. In fact, relationships with friends, relatives, and family and siblings also require intimacy.

What if the impulses and sex drive decrease? That is, sexual initiative is almost non-existent, especially for couples. Things that affect the decline in intimacy include stress and busyness.

The research in the journal mentioned above, initially explored what indicators made sexual attraction decrease. In exploring, the researcher used the Experiences in Close Relationship (ECR) questionnaire which consisted of 36 items.

The results showed that daily hassles, anxiety levels, and avoidance were not related to sexual desire. However, at the level of intimacy is closely related to sexual desire.

“It is not clear how intimacy increases sexual desire. In particular, it is uncertain how emotional intimacy can increase sexual arousal and desire in romantic relationships over a short period of time,” wrote Arash Emamzadeh, summarizing the results of the study.

Whatever the mechanism, the effects of emotional closeness and sexual desire are relatively short-lived. And can motivate sexual desire on a regular basis.

Given that maintaining emotional intimacy with a partner is quite important, not only for the sexual aspect, there are a number of recommendations for continuing it. In Sternberg's paper, he listed 11 keys to emotional intimacy, including the following:

Mutual respect Happy time together There is a desire to increase well-being Mutual dependability Mutual understanding Sharing, both material and immaterial Giving and receiving emotional support Intimate communication, and Appreciation

Strernberg's advice, if you're experiencing low sexual desire in a romantic relationship, take a little time to think about how intimate you feel with your partner. Do you really hold the 11 keys above?