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Resuming Your Sex Life
Sex After Stroke
Somewhere down the line your mind may turn to more personal matters such as establishing or renewing a sexual relationship. If being sexually active was important to you before your stroke it is likely that you will feel that way again. However there may be some physical and emotional issues that now have to be considered. There are often simple measures such as experimenting with changes of position that can help overcome restrictions such as tiredness.
Fear
The common fear following a stroke is that having sex will bring on another stroke. There is no reason why after a couple of weeks you cannot begin to have sex if you feel ready to do so. Medical evidence supports this. If you still feel unsure about having sex then arrange to speak to your own doctor.
Emotional Changes
Both men and women experience similar emotional problems after a stroke. How you feel about yourself and how you perceive others feel towards you, can lead to you losing confidence in yourself. It can take time to adjust to and come to terms with the changes in your life after a stroke and many people experience anxiety and depression as a result. This can have a knock on affect on your desire for sex. You can express your feelings in many different ways, through talking but also with body language and physical contact such as kissing and cuddling. Taking the first step may be the biggest hurdle to overcoming your anxiety and shyness about resuming sexual contact.
Change In Relationships
Retaining closeness and intimacy within your relationship will help to overcome difficulties. It is important to keep communicating with each other. There can be a subtle change within a relationship when a partner becomes a carer, especially when assistance is needed with personal care. This can sometimes cause embarrassment or affect the way you feel about each other.
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