Why am I asexual?

I am a 20 year old male, and for unknown reason(s), I am apparently asexual. I have absolutely NO interest in sex, and seldom masturbate; when I do masturbate, it usually causes me to feel "emtpy" inside.

I suppose that physiologically everything is fine. If I really wanted to masturbate, I could, but I wouldn't enjoy it. Its rather strange and interesting; I can physically feel some sort of stimiuli that I can objectively recognize as being pleasurable, but at the same time I do not experience it as pleasure. Its almost as if there is some sort of disconnect between body and mind or something, like one half of me is on an entirely different plane.

I have alot of signs that I think correspond with aspergers/autism. I've never had friends. I don't really understand things like relationships too well. I am often hypersensitive to many enviornmental stimuli, such as loud noises (fire trucks/ambulances). The last doctor I saw, after having one session with me, suggested I may have something on the "schizophrenia spectrum", because I also have severe paranoia (no hallucinations), so I don't know.

Any thoughts?

Heya,

A low libidi/sex-drive is generally the result of low testosterone (if you're male, which you are). Peculiarly, low testosterone has also been linked to depression. There can be a few different causes of it though, such as a poor diet or medication (certain types). Are you taking any medication and/or do you have a poor diet? Alcohol can also be a contributing factor.

I regard myself as having Asperger's Synrome and I have a low libido. However, I know that it was caused by my medication - Lexapro - which I took for four years.

You never gave any time-frames in your post. For example, have you always been this way or did you hve a normal/high sex-drive in your youth?

Take care,
kevin

When I first began reaching pubery, around 11 or 12, I think I had a moderate sex drive, but I'm not sure. I remember actually enjoying stimulating myself to pornography, etc. When I was 13, I began experiencing severe paranoia, and was breifly put on psychaitric medication. I never liked medication though, so I never took it for longer than a month at a time, but, I've heard it doesn't take much to ruin your sexual functioning, something called "post-ssri sexual dysfunction"; I've seen youtube videos, and it seems pretty devestating. After turning 13, I think my sexual drive diminished. The fact that I can't really recall may be evidence enough of the decline. BTW, I also took lexapro for a brief period. That was one of the first (and few) drugs I took for longer than 1-2 weeks.

I never did any street/recreational drugs, legal or not.

As a child, of course, I ate lots of crap, but I was also very active in sports and was never fat or even "big". When I was about 17 or 18, I completely changed my eating habits. For years now, I have strictly eliminated all junk food/processed foods. I am currently a vegan; before I fluctuated between vegetarianism and fruitarianism (I once ate almost nothing but largely organic fruit and some nuts for 6 months).

Lexapro too, eh? That's interesting, but a low sex-drive IS a documented side-effect. However, I never recall reading about a a low sex drive long after taking the drug. it has been years since I stopped taking it, but my sex drive never recovered. Then again, I admit that my diet isn't the best. I do not eat a wide variety of foods, and I'm therefore sure that i'm missing out on normal/required amounts of certain vitamins. Also, - and again interestingly - there was a period of around 6 months in the past where I also just ate fruit. Looking back, it's hard to believe how I lived through that, but no doubt my stores of vitamins and glycogen (in my liver) were depleating slowly throughout those months.

You 'became' a vegan voluntarily - why?

Kevin

Chucky wrote:You 'became' a vegan voluntarily - why?

Kevin

Lol maybe there is a correlation between lexapro and fruitarianism (mostly joking). Anways, as far as I can tell, I became a vegan because:

1) I don't like hurting animals, insects, etc. When there are unwanted spiders/etc in the home, I go to great pains and lengths to catch and remove them instead of killing them. I also feel I don't need to live off of them. I have respect for other living things, or at least I try.
2) I used to be into raw foodism, and while I myself have been unable to be 100% raw, the philosophy behind it makes sense. No animal in nature cooks its food: carnivores, omnivores, whatever. Animals who eat meat eat it raw. In order for humans to consume animal flesh, it must be cooked (as far as I know, or least most if it must). For humans, eating raw meat is dangerous (parasites, germs). Therefore, it seems as though meat is not the natural diet of man.
3) My intuition, which IMO has proven to be "right" so often in the past, tells me that I do not need to eat animal products. There are so many other non animal based things I could consume. Even growing up, I was never crazy about meat, and I couldn't stand most dairy products. I also feel that animal products are rather unhealthy for humans to consume, as dairy has lots of fat and who knows what else.
4) Also, I think I may loathe the eating process, as I suffer almost everytime I eat. I don't know if there's a connection (it seems there would be), but its rather easy for me to be exacting(rigid) about what I consume.

That's interesting, but which foods do you consume for protein? I have to admit to loving meat, but I do not eat pork anymore (no, I'm not Jewish - I'm an atheist). Actually, the reason why pork is not 'kosher' amongst Jews is because it has been more associated with disease than other meats. I avoid beef too, as that is quite tough and is difficult to digest. There's a reason why steak can be served bloody - you know - and it's because no normal bacteria can penetrate the meat. Therefore, it's 'safe' to eat the blood. Plus, the cooking sorts them out too!

Anyway, we're getting side-tracked. Just make sure you get your protein. Two of my brothers are vegetarians - one by choice; the other always - and they are both the weakest amongst my three brothers and I!

Kevin