Understanding SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION: THE SEXUAL INABILITIES
In order to function normally, an individual must be capable of sexual desire, sexual arousal, and orgasm. When the mechanism of desire, arousal, or orgasm goes awry, we sayan individual suffers a sexual dysfunction.
Dysfunction... ...can occur in any or all of these three areas of sexual response: (I) fantasies about and interest in sexual activity may be low or nonexistent, and thus erotie arousal may be dysfunctional; (2) when in an appropriate sexual situation, failure to have or maintain an erection in men and lack of vaginal lubrication and genital swelling in women may occur; (3) orgasm may be disrupted; in women, orgasm may fail to occur altogether; in men, ejaculation may be premature, occurring within the first few seconds of intercourse, or retarded, occurring only after a half hour of intercourse, if at all.
Impairment may occur in only one of these three areas of sexuality, or in all three in the same individual. The impairment may be lifelong or acquired, it may be limited to only one situation oroccur in all situations, and it may occur infrequently or all the time.
For example, the failure to maintain an erection can develop after years of satisfactory intercourse, or it can occur from the very first attempt at sexual intercourse. It can occur only with one partner or with all women. It can occur only once in a while or it can occur every time the individual tries to have intercourse.