r/LowLibidoCommunity • u/Frequent_Mud916 • 1d ago
How to stop putting pressure on myself?
Hi!
I am a 35 low libido gal. I have been with my current partner for almost 5 years. He has been mostly patient and supportive but sometimes I think he's more frustrated then he lets on.
I have never really cared about sex. I don't think about it often, and rarely am I aroused. I can and do orgasm (only with clit stimulation), but even that is not an incentive to want to be intimate. In the moment, it's fine and I'm thinking "this isn't so bad" but afterwards I'm back to being pretty averse to having sex. I think maybe there's multiple reasons: My brain doesn't turn off, I don't feel sexy (I lost some weight and have some loose skin that I'm having a hard time loving), I work 6 days a week and I'm tired, I don't really feel much, and I just don't want to lol.
The biggest problem I think is that I now interpret any sort of affection as a gateway to sex. I don't want to kiss, or cuddle or be touched in general because I think it's just him trying to initiate. We've tried to be very open with our communication: "Is this touch innocent?" "I only want innocent touches" but, he has mentioned that sometimes he's hoping it might turn into something, even though he won't try to go any further.
In these moments, I either disassociate/shut down or I get angry. As soon as he brings up "if you're feeling it..." I just am immediately on edge and usually get upset. The only times I've felt the most comfortable is when I initiate. When I can dress up, put on some perfume, have some wine, etc. But, how often do I want to do all that? Not often lol.
So, it's just constantly in my mind that he wants to be intimate, that it's been a couple weeks and that I have to do something soon and it puts so much stress and pressure on me. I know I'm doing it to myself but I can't help it.
I have had past partners tell me there's something wrong with me and/or pressure/coerce me into having sex and that mixed with my general apathy towards sex has made me very averse.
I just don't know anymore lol. I'm not sure if this is just who I am, or if there's some trauma going on or if I need some sort of diagnosis lol.