Sexual trauma is a difficult subject to discuss, especially for men. It can be hard to talk about the shame, guilt, and fear that can come with experiencing sexual trauma, as well as the way it changes our view of sex. In some cases, this can lead to hyper-sexual activity as a way to seek pleasure and affirmation without any real emotional connection. Other times, it can lead to a complete withdrawal from sex altogether. Let's take a closer look at how sexual trauma affects men's views on sex.
The Impact of Shame and Guilt
One of the most significant impacts of sexual trauma is shame and guilt. This guilt often comes from feeling like one’s body has betrayed them due to an unwanted physical response like an orgasm during the traumatic experience. This can make it difficult for survivors to engage in any kind of intimacy or vulnerability afterwards as they may feel ashamed or embarrassed by their own body’s reaction.
Hyper-sexual Activity As A Defense Mechanism
In some cases, survivors may turn to hyper-sexual activity as a defense mechanism in order to gain pleasure without having to engage in any sort of intimate connection or vulnerability. This type of behavior is often driven by seeking affirmation and acceptance through external sources rather than internal self-reflection. It also serves as a way to release stress or anxiety caused by previous traumatic experiences without having to confront those emotions head on. However, this type of behavior often lacks any real emotional connection which can make it difficult for survivors to build healthy relationships with others in the future.
Questioning Desires
Survivors may also find themselves questioning their own desires due to feeling that their body has been exposed to something that was not fully wanted or desired at the time of the traumatic experience. This can create confusion around what they want and don't want when engaging in sexual activities going forward which can cause further difficulty when trying to build healthy relationships with partners in the future if these issues are not adequately addressed and resolved beforehand.
Sexual trauma is an incredibly difficult thing for anyone - but especially men -to process and discuss openly. Unfortunately, many survivors may find themselves struggling with feelings of shame, guilt, fear, and confusion surrounding their own sexual desires after experiencing such a traumatic event. These feelings can manifest in different ways such as withdrawing from sex altogether or engaging in hyper-sexual activity as a defense mechanism against facing one’s emotions head on. Although addressing these issues may be intimidating at first, it is important for survivors to seek help from mental health professionals so they can learn how best to cope with their experiences moving forward and develop more positive attitudes towards sex going forward if desired.