People who have gone through something as traumatic as sexual assault may experience consensual sex differently. For some, sex can trigger unsettling traumatic memories of their assault that leaves them depressed afterwards. For others, it may cause them to have a lot of sex without feelings of intimacy. By confronting your trauma, you should be able to have a healthy sexual experience.
Find the Root of the Problem
If you have been a survivor of sexual assault, it may change the way you think of sex. You may be trying to avoid your thoughts and feelings so you can keep enjoying sex. You may not even realize why it is hard to be physically intimate. When you speak to a doctor, you may be telling them that sex is painful to you or that you are not interested.
If you were to tell the same thing to a psychologist, he or she would likely delve in deeper and try to see if there is a past experience you had that made you feel that way. By finding the root of your problem, you can fix it, going forward.
Be Open with Your Partner
If you feel comfortable enough with your partner, speak to them about your sexual assault. How much you tell is up to you. You may not want to talk about this on the first or second date, as this is your personal medical history.
Speak to a therapist about how to better address these issues with your partner. For example, if you do not like to be touched a certain way or are triggered by certain vocabulary, warn your partner about this ahead of time, instead of in the heat of the moment.
Take Some Time off From Sex, If Needed
You may need to take some time off sexually, if you feel the effects of your sexual assault coming into play. Use this time to speak more with your therapist to find better coping methods towards your symptoms and find other ways to bond with your partner.
Once you start to feel better, you can slowly start to grow your sexual relationship. Try experimenting with sensual self-care, like giving yourself a bath or a shower and start to get to know your body more. This can help you feel more comfortable and in control. Treating your trauma can fix the sexual relationship between you and your partner.
Addressing the trauma you experienced as a result of sexual assault can help you grow in your relationship with your partner. At The Guest House, we help individuals work through addiction and mental illness caused by trauma. We offer a multitude of treatment options, such as breath work, equine therapy, art therapy, grief therapy, cinema therapy mindfulness, individualized and group therapy, and more. Call us today at (855) 876-3884 to learn more about how we can help.