Low libido

Written by Katherine Nicholls
Katherine Nicholls
Hypnotherapy Directory Content Team

Reviewed by Natalie Swanson
Last updated 21st November 2023 | Next update due 20th November 2026

We all have different sex drives, however, if you’re noticing a lower sex drive than normal and it’s affecting you and/or your relationship, you might benefit from seeking support. Here we look at low libido in more detail and how hypnotherapy can help.

What does low libido mean?

Sex drive is a completely personal and individual aspect of what makes us who we are and, like many other things about us, it can change over time. While it is particularly common for women to experience low libido at certain times in life (e.g. during pregnancy and menopause), it can affect all genders.

Some symptoms to keep an eye out for include:

  • not having an interest in any type of sexual activity (and this being unusual for you)
  • not having sexual thoughts (and this being unusual for you)
  • being worried about your lack of sexual drive

Whilst it is common for sexual desire to fluctuate, if your sex drive is unusually low or is causing problems in your relationship, it may be time to seek professional help. As many factors can lead to experiencing low sex drive – both psychological and physical – it can help to consult your GP as the first port of call. 

Hypnotherapists who can help with low libido

What causes low libido?

There can be many reasons why your sex drive has decreased. Here are some common causes to be aware of:

Physical causes

Some underlying medical and physical issues can cause low libido, these may include:

  • Illnesses/diseases can affect sex drive, including chronic health conditions.
  • Sexual problems including vaginismus, erectile dysfunction and anorgasmia can lower your sex drive.
  • Certain medications can have an impact on libido.
  • Surgeries that affect your genitals or body image can affect sex drive.
  • Hormonal changes that occur as we age and during certain life stages (such as menopause and having a baby) can change our sex drive.
  • Tiredness and fatigue can make sex feel difficult and can affect how much we want it.
  • Lifestyle habits like drinking, smoking or taking drugs can hinder our libido.

Psychological causes

How we’re thinking and feeling can make an impact on our desire to have sex too. Here are some common psychological causes:

  • Mental health conditions like anxiety and depression can reduce our sex drive.
  • High levels of stress can push sex down the agenda and reduce our desire.
  • Past experiences of sexual abuse or trauma can affect our libido.
  • Having poor body image and/or a low sense of self-esteem can change the way we feel about sex.

Relationship problems

In some cases, our relationships themselves can be playing a role in our reduced sex drive. Some examples of when this might happen include:

  • When you’re feeling disconnected from your partner.
  • When you are struggling to communicate and find sex unsatisfying.
  • When you are experiencing conflict.
  • When you are having difficulty trusting your partner.

There are many reasons why your sex drive can decrease or disappear altogether regardless of whether you are a man or a woman. It can creep up suddenly without you even realising and it may take your partner to point it out to you before you sit up and take note.

- Hypnotherapist Biodun Ogunyemi ANLP, BNLP, SNLP, C.H, Dip. Hyp.

Treatment for low libido

Understanding what’s causing your low libido is the first step in treating it. Speaking to a doctor can help you investigate any potential causes. They can then suggest treatment options.

Treatments you may be offered include medication to help with a physical cause or hormone therapy if hormones are a factor. You may be advised to try talk therapy like cognitive behavioural therapy to help with mental health issues, or relationship counselling to help with any relationship concerns.

Lifestyle changes may also be recommended. This might include doing more exercise, reducing your stress levels, quitting smoking, reducing your drinking, addressing any sleep problems and managing your weight.


How can hypnosis for low libido help?

Hypnotherapy is a great tool for helping people overcome old thought patterns, worries and beliefs. When it comes to low libido, hypnotherapy can help in a number of ways if there is a psychological factor at play. It can be used to reduce stress and encourage healthy habits. It can help to ease any anxiety you may be feeling around sex, helping you to build confidence in the bedroom.

If you’re experiencing mental health concerns or relationship problems, hypnotherapy can support you here too. Hypnosis can be particularly effective for overcoming past trauma and shame too, allowing people to reclaim their confidence in their sexuality. 

Great sex and sexual confidence starts in the mind, and this is where hypnosis steps in. Using various techniques, a hypnotherapist can help rewire your thinking to be more positive and helpful to you and your goals. Here are some examples of how hypnotherapy can help.

Positive thoughts towards sex

Through hypnosis, you and your therapist will work with your subconscious mind (which stores all of your memories and monitors bodily functions) to uncover the root cause of the problem you’re facing. Using regression techniques, you can address any past trauma experienced and remove any anxiety you feel towards sex.

Your hypnotherapist can also provide positive suggestions to help you focus on pleasurable thoughts and feelings about sex, for a healthy, satisfying sex life. One particular method, neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), can help to re-align the mind and remove any self-imposed ‘blockages’. 

Visualisation

Utilising visualisation techniques will allow you to begin seeing yourself how you want to be or achieving a specific goal. Affirmations can also be helpful, to reinforce the image you are focusing on in your mind.

For example, if you are struggling with body image issues or having your partner see you naked, you could work with an affirmation such as, ‘My partner finds me sexually attractive'. Continuing to practise these techniques outside of your hypnotherapy sessions will increase your chances of success. Your hypnotherapist may also give you recordings of your sessions to help you with this.

Reduce stress

Stress can impact us hugely in all areas of our lives, particularly our libidos. The hormones that are released when we are stressed are a natural response to how we are feeling, and this is what can impact your sex drive.

Of course, we can’t eliminate all sources of stress from our lives, but what we can do is change how we respond to stress. This is where hypnotherapy can help. Your hypnotherapist can help you to identify specific causes of stress, anxiety or worry in your life and help you develop the techniques to take control of these feelings.


How to find a hypnotherapist

If you’re ready to work with a hypnotherapist, simply use our search tool to begin browsing hypnotherapists. Read more about them and their work on their profile, and see who you resonate with. Finding someone you feel comfortable talking to can make a big difference, so take your time here. 

Once you’ve found someone, contact them to learn more. Some hypnotherapists offer an introductory call so you can learn more about them and ensure they can help with your particular problem. From here, your therapist will arrange your hypnosis sessions (which may be in-person or remote), explaining how these will work.

You may also be shown some self-hypnosis techniques to help you after your sessions are over. Low sex drive isn’t unusual, but if it’s concerning you, then help is available.  

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