While we might not often think about our physical lives or how important they are, having a proper healthy se* life is important. No, you don’t have to dive into this kind of thing if you don’t want to but you should consider it.
According to Big Think, while someone is struggling with things like anxiety or depression they might not think of their se* life much if at all but that the more they understand it the more they will see how beneficial working to properly maintain it overall can help them to feel better. You see, the way our bodies react to sex, in general, can really get some feel-good hormones brewing. Sex increases things like serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin within the body. All of these are important when it comes to boosting your mood.
Not only does having a healthy sex life bring you closer to your partner, but it also makes you feel better. Intercourse overall can be a huge pleasure source if we are doing it with the right person under the right circumstances. Considering how many people across the globe struggle with mental health issues, this kind of tip is a good one to be in the know about.
In regard to anxiety/depression and this form of intimacy HereToHelp wrote as follows:
We often think of sex as something our bodies are doing, but a lot of our sex life takes place in our brains. It’s important to realize that, for all genders, our thoughts and feelings play a vital role in getting us turned on and keeping us that way.
Anxiety or depression can strongly affect arousal and can definitely ruin the mood sometimes. Anxiety and other related mental health struggles can make it hard to be relaxed enough to have or enjoy sex, overshadowing it with a host of worries or intrusive distractions. When we are very unwell and struggling just to function, sex is rarely at the top of our minds.
The struggle with mental illness in a variety of forms can hurt a person’s self-esteem and make them feel unworthy of sexual attention. For example, a person may have an unrealistic view of their own body and may actively seek to deny or discipline the body as a way of coping. In these cases, it’s important to be critical of the beauty norms we are shown by the media, step away from the practice of measuring or defining ourselves, and to seek to rediscover our love and appreciation for our bodies and our sexual selves.
Substance use may put limitations or restrictions upon one’s sexual interest. Some drugs can affect your brain in ways that make you less able to feel pleasure from sex for periods of time after their use.
That all having been said, do keep in mind that when it comes to your mental health things like your medications can also impact your drive in this intimate way. If you’re struggling to get aroused, you might want to talk to your doctor about trying a different medicine. As consumers, we need to be aware of the effects of the medications we take.
Not only does intercourse ease stress, but it also can be a serious self-esteem booster. The benefits when it comes to having a healthy intimate life with someone are very prominent. Considering this act is important within our relationships and shows our partner that we love and care about him/her it makes a lot of sense that it would be able to benefit us in such a manner.
On the topic of intercourse boosting our self-esteem ABC wrote as follows:
There’s an old saying “sex is like food; it’s only a big deal when you’re not getting enough of it”.
With sex, it’s not so much a matter of “the more the better”, but a complete lack of sex can be quite harmful.
There is some evidence a lack of sex is associated with feelings of depression and low self-worth.
In today’s world, there is a lot of social pressure to be sexually active. Having a non-existent or minimal sex life can feel socially stigmatizing.
“In this way, having sex can unburden someone from a strong social pressure and enhance their self-esteem.”
All of us have fundamental psychological needs we need to fulfill in order to remain mentally healthy.
Having sex isn’t (strictly) a fundamental human need, but it’s an important part of love and connection.
Eminent psychologist Abraham Maslow suggested there were five categories of fundamental human needs.
In addition to obvious physiological needs such as water, food, and sleep, there are four categories of fundamental psychological needs: safety, love/connection, esteem, and autonomy.
Of course, we need to meet our physiological needs, but then to be happy, stable people, we need to fulfill each category of psychological need on a regular basis.
If too many psychological needs go unmet for too long, our mental health can be negatively affected.
Some studies suggest that in certain situations, social isolation can be a predictor of early death.
What do you think about all of this? Does it make sense to be intimate in such a manner for your own well-being or are you not quite convinced? I personally am very thankful for my healthy sex life.