Can a Marriage Survive Without Sex?

Can you really live with no sex in your life? If you are the one holding back the sex, is that really fair? There are various reasons for a lack of sex within a marriage and I get that some are non-negotiable. My Dad for instance, he had his prostate removed and was unable to have sex. I’m talking here, about people who make a choice not to be intimate with their partner.

When both parties agree that is no longer important to them. Of course, in this case there is no reason for a lack of sex to be an issue. As long as you both agree, and I mean truly, at the bottom of your heart agree. One can’t be agreeing for the sake of equilibrium. Both must completely understand that’s it.

If you are the one that initiates sex and are constantly being pushed away you may feel unwanted, not good enough, or that there is something wrong with you physically. You may wonder what you have done wrong or whether your partner is being unfaithful.

Don’t keep your feelings bottled up inside. Take a breath and start a conversation. It will most probably be uncomfortable for both of you, but it’s better out than festering inside. You may not get the answer you are hoping for, or the response you were hoping for. If you are a woman, then you will most probably be faced with denial, defensive words or your partner storming off and refusing to talk. Don’t give up if this is the case. Make your point and make it clearly. Don’t get angry and accusatory. Ask what the problem is, ask if you can help to make it easier for him to be intimate with you. Men (sorry if I am generalising here men!) are generally less open to conversation on the topic of sex than us women.

If you don’t get any sort of response, or just get shouted at and made to feel like you’re being unreasonable then you may feel that you have made your situation worse and that can be upsetting. The thing is marriages are a double act, they require teamwork to make the dream work. Sorry, I just had to get that in there! They do though. If one of you wants to be intimate and the other is withholding sex, that is a recipe for disaster. Tell your other half that it is unacceptable to refuse to talk, if that is the situation. Try to broach the subject of counselling.

I think that depends on the person. You may be highly sexual and still not able to face sex with someone else, or you may be a very loyal person and would not be able to even contemplate being unfaithful.

Affairs are more likely if one half of the partnership still has sexual feelings. A lack of intimacy in general though, is more likely to push a person to become unfaithful.

I think that’s down to the individual. It’s not an ideal situation but it’s understandable. It’s not black and white and every person and their relationship is different. If you have exhausted all avenues and your partner still refuses to talk or to try and work at it, then you may feel completely justified in sleeping with someone else. Bear in mind though, that this will complicate matters even further. Are you happy in the marriage in every other way? Is sex the only issue?

If you embark on an affair, then you may be heading for disaster in more ways than one. You then have to deal with deception and feelings of guilt. Even if you feel justified, you may still be plagued with negative emotions. This in turn can make you feel even more aggrieved and negative towards your partner. You may blame them for making you feel this way.

There is no black and white answer here. You are you and have to make the decision that’s right for your situation. Don’t go on a mission to have sex at any cost, with anyone who shows an interest. Please try, try, try again to work things out at home. Only then can you make the right decision for you.