ABSTRACT
The term inhibited sexual desire (ISD) reflects the core issue of identifying and assessing factors (we call them turnoffs or poisons ) that block sexual desire. Sexual desire is easy to kill. The potential for desire and pleasure is natural for both women and men, but it also is vulnerable. A myriad of psychological, biological, and relational factors can poison desire. The previous chapter explored the psychobiosocial model of understanding, assessing, and changing couple sexuality. This chapter focuses on the psychological and relational poisons that threaten desire. Chief among these are anger and other negative emotions, including depression, guilt, anxiety, inhibitions, obsessions, compulsions, and shame. To understand what causes and maintains ISD, you need to identify individual and couple poisons.
