Alcohol & Sexuality

Recovery and Sexuality

Drinking alcohol with a partner is usually a wonderful experience. It lowers emotional inhibitions, raises expectations and intensifies touch and feel enjoyment. Alcohol often enhances feelings of connectedness with others and improves sexual attractiveness, desire, ability and response – in low doses.

But people who drink heavily and alcoholics often have bad or ordinary experiences. Not to start with, but more and more so as drinking increases. Over time, and in binges, excessive alcohol causes damage to the body and some sexual functions change.

In men the testicles shrink, sperm count drops and breasts get bigger. The production of male sex hormones, testosterone, is changed. Arousal is often affected, soft or short lived. Ejaculation may be too soon, delayed or lack force.

In women menstrual cycles often change or cease and estrogen (female sex hormone) production is altered.

In both sexes the nerves at the muscle and skin level may get injured causing lack of feeling and sensitivity. Damage to the liver (cirrhosis of the liver) causes less of some chemicals to be sent to the brain which affects thinking and brain re-growth.

Excessive alcohol lowers vital sugar levels and causes dehydration; which are major causes of hangovers. The morning after, morning glory, may not be as appealing with a hangover. Muscle aches, headaches, tummy upsets, short tempered, gluey mouth and red, sore eyes do not bring about wonderful sexual mornings.

Dehydration also dries out the skin so it becomes less sensitive to nice feelings and is less elastic which may affect vital areas in the sexual act.

“Will you love me in the morning?” Probably not if the sex was poor and there is a hangover or two.

Sober or nearly sober, not drunk is sexier!