United States – A type of psychotherapy can benefit women who have experienced a decline in libido as they begin their transition through menopause, according to the study.
Cognitive behavioral therapy was found to enhance sexual desire and satisfaction in middle aged and older women, according to researchers.
“To our knowledge, this is the first study that has examined the efficacy of a cognitive behavioral therapy protocol specifically aimed to improve sexual concerns experienced during peri- and postmenopause,” said lead researcher Sheryl Green. She’s associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences with McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, as reported by HealthDay.
Addressing Sexual Health Concerns in Menopause
Sexual concerns associated with low estrogen levels include the following: Overall, ranging from 68% to 87% of women experience sexual concerns in midst menopause or postmenopause, background notes by the researchers.
Consequently, the options available for dealing with sexual issues such as a decrease in sexual desire or sexual pain are small, researchers found.
In this research, women were invited to four sessions cognitive behavioural therapy targeting sexual concerns related to menopause.
Targeted Therapy
Cognitive behavioural therapy helps individuals identify behaviours or thoughts that are problematic in relation to their mental and physical health.
People are encouraged to change the way they think, and the ways they act and feel that is unhelpful; a therapist also teaches ways to relax and think through things.
Says the researchers, study participants reported change across multiple dimensions in sexual function, body image and sexual satisfaction following the therapy.
Positive Results and Future Directions
They also reported a reduction in menopausal symptoms, depression, anxiety, and overall health, according to the findings of the study.
All the participants claimed that they were very satisfied with the treatment and due to that, it assisted them to manage menopause better.
Data was discussed during The Menopause Society’s annual meeting in Chicago. Conclusions derived from data presented at medical meetings should be viewed as provisional pending formal publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
“Results suggest that this type of therapy leads to significant improvements across several important sexual concern domains, and we hope this study will provide the basis for larger randomized clinical trials in the future,” Green said in a meeting news release, as reported by HealthDay.