| Every year, millions of people around the world | | | | suits you and your partner can take experimentation, |
| confront a life-threatening illness or acquire a disability | | | | imagination and above all, learning to feel comfortable |
| and survive. What follows for them is a physical and | | | | with your own image of your body and your desires. |
| emotional roller coaster of treatment and coping. | | | | If you want to suggest new ways of having sex to |
| Often, the most difficult adjustment involves sexual | | | | your partner, it is important that you bring it up in a |
| activities. People with a disability or living with an | | | | way that doesn't make them feel awkward. Wait |
| illness may wonder whether they can have children, if | | | | until you are both feeling relaxed and sexy. You may |
| their partners will stay with them, if anyone will find | | | | find your partner is more willing to try new things |
| them sexually desirable, or if they will ever enjoy sex | | | | than you had realised. |
| again. Sexual-esteem or positive regard for and | | | | There are no positions specifically for disabled people, |
| confidence in one's ability to experience sexuality in a | | | | only a huge number of positions for you to try and |
| satisfying and enjoyable way, may be shattered for | | | | see what you like. If you are trying something for |
| a person with a disability. People tend to make | | | | the first time, take it slowly, see how you feel and |
| assumptions about people with disabilities that have | | | | check if your partner is having a good time. If you |
| no bearing on reality - or their humanity. Even though | | | | feel uncomfortable or find there is too much pressure |
| there are those who believe that disabled people | | | | on your body, switch position. Be sure you both take |
| should not want to be sexually active, this is not | | | | responsibility for yourselves and set out to enjoy. |
| factual because people with disabilities still long to be | | | | Penetration is not essential to have a good time, and |
| touched and loved just like a person who is totally | | | | it doesn't have to be deep for both partners to find |
| healthy. Contrary to the opinion of mainstream | | | | it enjoyable. To begin with find sexual positions which |
| society, people who suffer from disabilities are still | | | | do not cause a great deal of strain to maintain a low |
| able to enjoy pleasurable sexual experiences. Many | | | | level of physical exertion. Perhaps the most |
| disabled people experience a lack of information as | | | | comfortable and relaxing position of all is the T |
| well as significant distress and anguish around their | | | | position. The woman lays flat on her back while the |
| sexual and personal relationships. An important first | | | | man lays perpendicular to her, facing her on his side. |
| step back to a rewarding sexual relationship involves | | | | He straddles her leg furthest from him and enters |
| communicating openly and directly with partners, | | | | her softly. This position not only reduces stress, it |
| doctors and other health care professionals. This is | | | | allows the couple to see one another. |
| not always easy, however. People often have trouble | | | | If you are worried about your sex life, or can't find a |
| discussing sexual issues or simply feel lucky to be | | | | way to overcome the sexual problems (such as |
| alive and, therefore, as if they don't have the right to | | | | erection problems ) which are interfering with your |
| "complain" about changes in sexual functioning. Many | | | | happiness, the first step should be your GP. Your GP |
| assume, incorrectly, that sexual intimacy is no longer | | | | should know whether you need practical information, |
| possible due to sensation loss in the genitals. As a | | | | medical help or relationship therapy. Sex therapy is |
| result, some may decide to ignore sexuality issues | | | | always informal and helpful. It helps couples out of |
| because they believe they no longer apply to them; | | | | their sexual wilderness into a garden of adventure. |
| others will seek out any opportunity to restore | | | | This information has been brought to you by |
| sexual-esteem. Questions, concerns, and feelings of | | | | Firstmed.co.uk, the UK's leading online impotence clinic. |
| anger about our sexuality are natural after disability | | | | If you wish to discuss any of the above issues in |
| or illness. | | | | more detail, do not hesitate to contact |
| Almost everyone can enjoy sex in some way or | | | | info@firstmed.co. |
| other, regardless of their disability. To find out what | | | | |