Dr Adithya Sunka graduated from Manipal college and has served as a medical officer under the Ministry of Labour, Government of India. He pursued an MD in Psychiatry from NIMHANS (Bengaluru) and has over 300 hours of experience in Psychiatric emergency services and Psychiatric rehabilitation. He is well versed in various Psychiatry specialties such as sexual medicine, addiction psychiatry, and behavior therapy. Currently, Dr Adithya works as an Assistant Professor in Dept. Of Psychiatry at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital and Kakatiya Medical College Hospital, Warangal.
“India is recognised to be the impotence capital of the world with a prevalence of sexual dysfunctions among both males and females. The stigma and lack of resources such as therapy have affected those that should seek treatment - a holistic strategy aims to bring accessible and affordable sexual health care to everyone. Let’s normalise sexual wellness, and unfold awareness around it.”
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I had been diagnosed with Erectile Dysfunction by a previous doctor but saw no improvements with the medications he gave me. When I consulted with Dr Adithya, he told me that the reason behind my erectile dysfunction symptoms was psychological - I was so surprised because I didn’t know ‘Psychogenic ED’ was possible. I felt so comfortable with my consultation with Dr Adithya and understood how therapy could help me along with the medications. I am happy to say that my symptoms have drastically improved, and I couldn’t be more grateful.
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I had been married for 3 years, and was unable to have sex with my wife. I didn’t know the reason behind it and would get extreme anxiety during these times. Due to this, we were unable to get pregnant. In desperation, I decided to consult with Allo, and was assigned Dr Adithya. During my first consultation, I realised I made the right decision - I was diagnosed with Performance Anxiety. I was made to understand what this diagnosis meant and how therapy could help me relieve my anxiety with sex. After 3 therapy sessions I was able to consummate my marriage. My wife and I are so happy with the results, and we’re finally ready to try for a baby.
Erectile Dysfunction is defined as the inability to sustain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse. The condition can affect anyone at any age.
Remember - the blood flow (BF), the nerve supply, and the balance of sex hormones - a concern in any of these can lead to Erectile Dysfunction. Erectile Dysfunction can be caused by a physical (a ‘hardware’ problem) or psychological (mental health effects) - mental health can play a huge part.
Did you know that Erectile Dysfunction can be an indication of cardiovascular concerns? Chronic health conditions affecting blood flow can lead to Erectile Dysfunction.
If a man lasts less than 2 minutes after penetration (all or most of the time), and/or if it leads to frequent dissatisfaction for him or his partner, he may have Premature Ejaculation.
The causes of Premature Ejaculation include:
(1) Physical Factors: Medical conditions, chronic health conditions, or sexual disorders are some physical causes of Premature Ejaculation.
(2) Psychological Factors: Depression, Anxiety
Did you know that Erectile Dysfunction can be a cause of Premature Ejaculation?
Premature Ejaculation can lead to other sexual dysfunctions, but that is not a wide-known fact.
Vaginismus is a condition in which the muscles in the vagina tighten up during penetration.
Vaginismus is commonly caused by psychological factors. Women don't have control over the tightening, and it can be uncomfortable. Due to the physical discomfort, the anxiety or fear response gets worse, and this can lead to a cycle of avoidance.
Did you know that there are four types of Vaginismus?
(1) Primary Vaginismus
(2) Secondary Vaginismus
(3) Situational Vaginismus
(4) Global Vaginismus
Low sexual desire, commonly referred to as low libido, is a decrease in sex drive.
Individuals that experience low sexual desire due to various causes are impacted physically, mentally, and emotionally by the symptoms the condition can cause.
Like other most common sexual disorders, low sexual desire can be influenced by many aspects, such as hormonal imbalance, increased age, side effects of medications, chronic illnesses, and addictive or compulsive behavior.
This would include concerns with infertility and/or conception. Sexual disorders such as Erectile Dysfunction, Premature Ejaculation, and Vaginismus can lead to challenges with pregnancy attempts.
There could be various causes of infertility, such as sexual dysfunctions, chronic illnesses, and mental health conditions leading to low sexual desire and a low sperm count. A sexual health professional should evaluate the causes of failed pregnancy attempts because there can be a variety of causes.
Porn addiction refers to a person becoming excessively dependent on pornography leading to a disruption in their everyday life. This could include their job, relationships and at times, their day-to-day lifestyle.
The causes behind porn addiction could be:
(1) Negative sexual experiences
(2) Incorrect understanding of porn and its uses
(3) Initially trying to learn about sexual experiences, resulted in dependency
(4) Experiencing mental health disorders such as OCD (an anxiety disorder) or depression
Watching porn isn’t a bad thing, nor should it be associated with any shame. However, compulsive porn watching can have negative effects on your sexual, physical and mental health.