It is the conversation that no one wants to have, but it is so essential to your recovery. Addiction not only impacts your social relationships, it also impacts your sexual health. If you are trying to find strategies to regain your sexual health when you are in addiction recovery, what can you expect and how can you improve your situation?
Why Address Sexual Health During Recovery?
Sex is complicated. It is not just a matter of biology; your sexual health and satisfaction depend on how you feel as well. If you are not feeling good about yourself or you are used to relying on drugs or alcohol to get you to a place where you feel comfortable sexually, then it can be difficult to manage your sexual health during recovery. However, it is a very important part of recovery that cannot be overlooked. Why? According to Inderjeet Singh, drug addiction therapist, many “clients relapse with their choice of substance just because of their dissatisfaction in sexual life and experience.”
What to Expect in Recovery
How can you move into recovery as a healthy sexual person? Past drug and alcohol use may have impacted your ability to enjoy intercourse or have intercourse. For example, in men, the use of some drugs can impact sexual health. Easy Health Options connects marijuana use to erectile dysfunction and the use of cocaine to “impaired or delayed ejaculation.” Heroin, cocaine, alcohol, and speedball can impair your ability to have an orgasm. The good news is that “after six months of treatment, sexual dysfunction showed some improvement: 61 percent of men had mild to moderate sexual dysfunction and 20 percent reported severe difficulties,” according to Easy Health Options.
When you are in recovery, your mind and your body are recovering from the toll of your addiction. If you have depended on drugs and alcohol to feel confident or excited when you have sex, then you are dealing with a double difficulty; your body and your mind may not be cooperative, and you could struggle with your sexual health.
How can you recover your libido during addiction recovery?
How to Increase Your Sexual Health in Recovery
How can you achieve better sexual health during your addiction recovery? You need to begin by addressing your personal health.
- Seek individual counseling and support for your relationships, so that you can go into them in a confident place instead of feeling like you need the substances you may have relied on in the past.
- Work on healthy habits, so that your body supports your desire for sexual wellness. For instance, if you can increase the amount of exercise that you do each week, your body and mind will feel better, and it will be easier to improve your sexual health and overall confidence. The same goes for food and sleep; eating well and sleeping well will help restore your sense of well-being and give you more energy to spend on relationships.
- Develop healthy mental habits as well. Get to know yourself and feel confident in your ability to have relationships without drugs or alcohol. This could involve meditation, exploring new avenues for your work and personal life, and engaging in new, supportive relationships.
- Talk with your existing partner if you are in a pre-existing relationship. Consider going to counseling together so that you and your partner can learn to support each other through any challenges in your sexual health. If you are in a new relationship, consider discussing your recovery so that your partner understands where your challenges originate. A loving and compassionate relationship can be a huge ally in your desire to achieve sexual health in addiction recovery.
At Advanced Recovery Systems, we care about your whole self after rehab. Are you curious about how we can support you in your addiction recovery or how we can support a family member? Contact us today for more information.
