FORT MYERS, Fla. — Researchers say staying in the house isn’t the problem for people during the pandemic, but more-so how to please their partners while in the house. A Fort Myers therapist says stress is making problems in the bedroom worse.
Stay-at-home orders since March have forced couples to kiss traditional dates goodbye. Some are even finding it hard to get out of bed everyday.
A study by Term Life 2 Go reveals those problems are popping up in Google searches nationwide.
Kendra Madsen with the life insurance assessment company says aside from low libido, ADHD and suicide are the next most searched terms in this year’s study. A stark contrast to last year’s results.
“Addicted to the internet, or social media, to more things such as loneliness, intimacy issues, low libido,” she said.
Intimacy issues were the top mental health term Googled in Florida.
Therapist Dr. Laura Streyfeller says while a crisis like a pandemic can hinder men and women’s sex drive, it affects men differently, especially if they’re out of work.
“It can feel somewhat emasculating because the stress seems to be having more control over them than they have over themselves,” said Streyfeller.
Working from home and homeschooling can make it worse for men and women. If sex drive or intimacy was a problem before the COVID-19 outbreak, she said the pandemic will only magnify it.
She says get creative in bed, whether you’re distancing from your partner to protect their health or not.
“A lot of times couples forget that the biggest amount of foreplay happens outside of the bedroom and then you bring that inside the bedroom,” she said.
If you’re looking for help for mental health issues there’s resources available on National Alliance on Mental IIllness.
