A sexless marriage is one in which a couple is not being sexually intimate. This can be for a variety of reasons.
Celibacy implies choice, and doesn't reveal whether both partners are happy. Anecdotally, there may be many more married or cohabiting couples than statistics show who are happily, or resignedly, not having sex. Another factor to consider, and something of a buzzword, is asexuality.
The short answer is that yes, a sexless marriage can survive – but it can come at a cost. If one partner desires sex but the other is uninterested, lack of sex can lead to decreased intimacy and connection, feelings of resentment and even infidelity.
Is a sexless relationship healthy? Yes, sexless relationships can absolutely be healthy. "Some people are perfectly happy without sex, so there is no problem. And even when sex is a problem, the rest of the relationship can be healthy," says Zimmerman.
Lack of sex can lead to mental health issues, especially when the man feels that he cannot perform well in bed and satisfy his wife's sexual needs. This can lead to the psychological effects of sexless marriage. Depression and anxiety can become common consequences of a sexless marriage.
Self-Esteem Issues
Where physical intimacy is lacking, this can cause self-esteem problems. If your partner shows no interest in you physically, you might feel like they're not attracted to you anymore, and this can cause you to question yourself.
Anxiety, stress, and depression are also common sexless marriage effects on the husband. When a husband is denied sex at home for a long time, his mental health is likely to deteriorate from stress, overthinking, and inability to release the feel-good hormone from sex.
A sexless marriage doesn't always equal a loveless marriage, but when it does, divorce may be the “best worst” option. When you and your partner are particularly busy or stressed, sexual intimacy can become something of a luxury – but affection and touch are basic human needs.
Reasons for women in sexless marriages occurring include, but are not limited to: Hormonal issues. A past emotional or physical trauma. Difference in desires.
She May Have Some Health Issues
Hormonal imbalances, depression, chronic illness/pain, and some medications can all contribute to low sexual desire. Women are about twice as likely to experience depression as men. Over 60% of people who experience depression report having a negative effect on their libido.
Why do marriages become sexless? Marriages become sexless for a variety of reasons. Common reasons are a lack of desire, postpartum depression, frequent marital conflict, or a recent marital crisis or personal crisis that has impacted the client.
There are a few common reasons why couples develop a lack of intimacy. Stress is the most common reason. Stress can come from various sources such as pressure from work, child care, and financial troubles in the family. There are several studies that show the link between stress and a decrease in sex drive.
But even if there's no perfect definition for a “sexless” marriage, everyone seems to agree that they're common. Newsweek estimates that about 15 to 20 percent of couples are in one, and sexless marriage is the topic of myriad new books—like Yager-Berkowitz's—and plenty of articles and columns.
If your wife won't touch you, maybe something has changed. She may be experiencing depression or a lack of self-confidence, or maybe she feels like she's failing at this parenting thing. Even if it is difficult, do everything you can to put yourself in her shoes.
If the reason for sexless marriage is that the partner is cheating, then this is a great sign to walk away from the relationship. In such a situation, it is difficult to feel intimate with your partner as there would be lack of trust and lots of suspicions regarding the future of the relationship involved.
Although a sexless marriage is not listed in the law as a ground of fault for absolute divorce or divorce from bed and board, it can be strong evidence for a court to find constructive abandonment.
So, for couples who mutually agree to focus on bonding through means other than sex. Their marriage will undoubtedly last for as long as the agreement remains. If, however, one partner decides otherwise, a compromise has to be made for divorce not to become the imminent outcome of such marriage.
There are many factors that might be affecting his sex drive—an undiagnosed medical condition, a side effect of a medication, a hormonal imbalance, stress, depression, low self-esteem, trauma, or even problems in your marriage that he hasn't brought up.
There are a number of reasons men may not want sex, including certain medications (antidepressant and blood pressure pills), a host of medical conditions, depression, fear of sexual failure, too much prolactin, or too little testosterone.
Experts told Insider months without wanted physical touch can have adverse health impacts like increased anxiety, depression, and trouble sleeping. Lack of physical intimacy can also lead to touch starvation, which can contribute to loneliness, isolation, and even compromise your immune system.