Like most Mondays, several couples fly in to do a 3 or 5-Day Intensive with me and my team. Many couples I see will inevitably tell me the tale of being in a sexless marriage for months, years, or decades. I smile and tell them not to worry. I have heard that on most Mondays for almost thirty years.
The reality is that many couples, regardless of faith, finances, or culture, go to bed feeling alone next to the one who said they would love, honor, and cherish them. Why is it that so many couples suffer quietly in a sexless marriage? In this blog, I’ll give you eight common reasons I have found that couples are sexless and married.
Two Choices for Those in a Sexless Marriage
When a person is in a sexless marriage, they have two major choices. The first choice is to address the real issues as to why they are sexless in marriage, set boundaries, and seek professional help to resolve the core issues.
The second choice is to medicate their pain with addictions such as porn, affairs, alcohol, work, or drugs. Often they will blame their spouse because they medicate this way. I have counseled individuals with addictions for almost thirty years, and it is never the spouse’s fault if you choose to medicate this way.
For those who want to address the real issues for your sexless marriage, this blog will help you identify some of the most common reasons that lead to sexless marriages. This information is taken directly from our new DVD called “Sexless and Married.”
Reason 1: Intimacy Anorexia
Intimacy anorexia happens more frequently than you might think. It’s when a spouse actively withholds spiritual, emotional, and sexual intimacy. If someone is an intimacy anorexic, they will:
- Stay busy to avoid their spouse
- Blame their spouse for all of the problems in the relationship
- Withhold love from their spouse
- Withhold praise from their spouse
- Withhold sex from their spouse or not be present during sex
- Not talk about their feelings
- Have ongoing or ungrounded criticism of their spouse
- Control or shame around money issues
If one or both spouses have five or more of these characteristics, you are dealing with intimacy anorexia. This is a real and prevalent issue as to why a couple might be sexless and feel like roommates in their marriage. If this applies to you, do some research and get qualified help to restore your marriage.
Reason 2: Sexual Addiction
You’ve probably read stories about how many men and women are turning to pornography and acting out with themselves or others outside their marriage. Yes, this is most likely true even with people you know. This has caused many marriages to separate or divorce. When I speak at men’s conferences on the topic of my book Sex, Men & God, I’ll ask how many men think that they may be addicted to pornography. Typically 50% or more of these men acknowledge having this problem.
A sex addict will have three or more of the below characteristics as it relates to their habit including lust, porn, or behavior with self or others. Their addiction can lead them to becoming sexless in marriage.
- Tried to stop and failed
- Promises to self, others, or God to quit and failed
- Having consequences for their behavior
- Using even after having consequences for their behavior
- Doing more of the same or escalating in behaviors
- Take more or different for same high
- Takes more time in addiction
- Begins to pull away from other activities or relationships
- Withdraw if they can’t access their behavior
There are six types of sex addicts according to AASAT.org (American Assoc. for Sex Addiction Therapy). If sex addiction is the issue for the sexless marriage, the addict will need to seek help, attend support groups, and address core issues to heal. The impact of a sex addiction is huge for the spouse as well. Two good books would be The Final Freedom and Partners: Healing from His Addiction.
Start your journey of putting porn in your past, check out the blogpost “How to Quit Porn: 6 Essential Steps.”
Reason 3: Sexual Abuse
It’s possible that the previous sexual abuse of either spouse could be triggering a sexual shutting down. Sometimes this happens out of the blue. For example, when their child reaches the age that they were when their abuse happened or perhaps seeing a movie that triggers a memory of their abuse.
Sexual abuse can be a journey, but it is necessary to move beyond it to have a thriving life and marriage. I have been sexually abused by both genders, and I took responsibility for my healing and have enjoyed a healthy sex life. The responsibility to heal is ours. If this is the reason for sexlessness in a marriage, I would start your healing journey today. There are plenty of books on this, and if you are not making accelerated progress, then I suggest you see a counselor that specializes in treating one to help move from victim to thriving.
Reason 4: Depression
I agree that too many Americans are diagnosed with depression, however it can really be an option for what’s creating a sexless marriage. Let me give you the characteristics of depression other than a lack of interest in sex. A depressed person would have low energy, difficulty with concentration and making decisions, weight gain or loss recently, sleep disturbance, feelings of worthlessness and possible suicidal thoughts, and lastly a sense of not enjoying life. If someone has several of these symptoms, they could be depressed.
Now if the person is so depressed that they aren’t going to their place of work or they have a lack of interest in it, then it may be because of depression. Unfortunately people can be depressed because of unresolved anger, grief, or a lack of serotonin in their brain. See a medical doctor and make sure you talk to the doctor about side effects for the medication they may be giving you because some antidepressants lower your sex drive and that wouldn’t be helpful. If you are seeing a counselor, again, make sure they specialize in depression.
Reason 5: Schizoid Personality Disorder
A person with Schizoid Personality Disorder will have several characteristics. Some of these characteristics include having no close relationships, choosing alone activities, having no desire for sex, getting no real pleasure from activities, indifference to praises or criticism, and appearing emotionally cold or detached. If this is what is going on, he or she can be very resistant to treatment. This person must be motivated if change is to occur.
Reason 6: Low Thyroid
Sexlessness can also be caused by low thyroid. This is totally a medical issue. The symptoms other than less interest in sex would be low energy, difficulty concentrating, hair loss, weight gain, constipation, and muscle soreness. This is very treatable both homeopathically and medically. If this is even close to your symptoms, ask your doctor for a blood test.
Reason 7: Low Testosterone
We see a lot of commercials for men with low testosterone, but it is also a significant issue for women. I’ve had both genders get this checked out and get on a medical regimen. It helped and was the only issue. The symptoms of low testosterone other than a low sex drive are weight gain, low energy, anxiety, hair loss, weakness, and sleep disturbance. Men may have erectile issues, and women may have vaginal dryness and the inability to orgasm.
If you are reading along and think depression, low thyroid, and low testosterone symptoms sound a lot alike, you are very perceptive. I recommend if any of these symptoms sound familiar, get all three checked by a doctor to see what might be causing sexlessness in your marriage.
Reason 8: Sex Language Mishaps
Each one of us has a unique sex language. However we often marry someone with a different sex language than our own. In the book 5 Sex Languages, I share about the sex languages of Fun, Desire, Pleasure, Patience, and Acceptance. Most couples did not have this as part of their preparation for marriage. They fumble through sex trying to make their spouse like themselves. This can set up years of negative experiences and reduce the desire for sex.
This issue is easy to address. Discover your spouse’s sex language. I will never forget one couple that came to my office for an Intensive from another country just to get this area strong. They both guessed wrong about which sex language the other person was. I walked them though each phase of sexuality utilizing the correct sex language, and they had the best week of their entire marriage.
Healing from a Sexless Marriage
Sexless marriages are real and affecting millions. I hope that an intelligent conversation can open the doors to healing and close the doors to any medicating. We are responsible to heal if we know what to heal. Keeping this pain in a marriage can damage or even destroy it.
You are worth having the best marriage, including the best sex ever, however, some of us have to work harder to get what we are worthy of. I have seen thousands of couples heal from a sexless marriage and wish you the best on your journey.
Update from Bruce posted August 13,2020
After my posting I began to pray that God open our eyes (wife and I). I have been praying off and on for 20 plus years until recently I decided to ACTUALLY listen to the voice of Christ Jesus. The hurt, pain, misery and neglect for my wife and our sexual needs began a intense discussion between the both of us. After having a deeply emotional heart to heart discussion with my wife I found out that she was in as much pain as I was in but did not want to discuss it. So after 3 INTENSE days of discussions about our sex life we came to the conclusion that we BOTH love sex!!!! After 30 years of marriage I had no idea that she had a deep desire for mad passionate sex!!!!
Over the last week we have had the most intense sex that we have ever had (even more than our honeymoon). God has truly blessed us with a deep desire for each other and He alone SAVED OUR MARRIAGE.
We are like 20 somethings having mad passionate sex everywhere ie. Bedroom, kitchen, living room etc….
God truly answers prayers even when it seems that he doesn’t answer us but He does in His timing. Praise be to God!!!!
I am looking for some help I have been married for 20 plus years and in a now sexless marriage this all begin after our second son was born and my wife opened up and told me of the sexual abuse had taken place she had been raped 3 times by her boss she was only 14 at the time abused by her brother and her uncle she became sucidal and was in and out of hospital this went on for 20 plus years no sex no intimacy no physical contact there is so much it would take a very long time to give all the details we just recently did couples therapy for 6 months once a week which produced no real results we went out for coffee one night and started talking after talking fo quite sometime in which she said she could never have sex again or have any kind of a romantic relationship I will admit that I had no idea so here I am in a sexless marriage I have endured for 20 plus years but I seriously need to figure something else out I just cannot keep living like this we now live apart but still are very good friends I am still in love with her and want to figure out what to do my name is frank Sprandel I am very lonely and sad we have 2 grown boys and 2 wonderful granddaughters please help me out with some possible answers do I just have to move on although I do not want that
Hi Frank,
Thank you for being honest and reaching out for help. Your story sounds painful and full of many devastating emotions, so I commend you for having the courage to share it on our blog and ask for help. Although I cannot be the one to tell you whether or not you should end your marriage, I do think that a counselor just for you would be a great start. Even if your wife does not want to attend counseling, a counselor will be able to help you process some of your emotions and make decisions as to what steps to take next.
If you are a member of a church, reach out to your pastor or other leader and ask them for wisdom and guidance. And, if you aren’t, I highly encourage you to join a church and seek healing from the church body.
Blessings upon you!
Moriah