what is going on inside me? lived experience of married women exhibiting hypoactive sexual desire disorder in long-term relationships: a qualitative study

Introduction: sexual satisfaction, as a basic human need, has a determining effect on human health, and its absence can cause physical and mental pressures that will threaten individuals’ health. low sexual desire is a common disorder affecting married women and can greatly influence their well-being and disrupt their everyday life. this study aimed to analyze the lived experiences of married women suffering from hypoactive sexual desire disorder in long-term relationships considering cultural drivers. materials and methods: this qualitative study (2019-2020) in mashhad-iran, was conducted based on the descriptive phenomenology approach. the research data were collected through 20 in-depth and semi-structured interviews and then they were analyzed using colaizzi’s method of data analysis. the participants were also selected through purposive sampling. a mean score of 22.6±2.9 was obtained for full-scale score of female sexual function index (fsfi) and 107.11±3.2 for marital conflict questionnaire-revised (mcq-r). results: the four core themes extracted from the data were (1) incessant everyday life in long-term relationships, (2) de-sexualized roles, (3) traces of old wounds, and (4) misinterpretation of religious teachings. conclusion: personal conflicts and neglected foreplay priorities were the primary causes of married women’s low sexual desire in long-term relationships. couples workshops aimed at preserving and revitalizing relationships and individual treatment of affected women are some potential solutions for alleviating the suffering of this group of women.