What Does It Mean If I Have Vaginismus?
The Problem Is Understood Differently Depending
On The Professional Treating You.
Vaginismus
Doctors will diagnosis this problem as vaginal spasms interfering with vaginal penetration.
(American Psychiatric Association, 2000)
Genito-Pelvic Pain/Penetration Disorder (GPPPD)
Mental health providers will diagnose this condition as a mental health challenges related to the patients' experience with the spasm. Leading to the effects of depression, anxiety, and anticipatory fears.
(Reissing, 2012)
V/GPPPD
(My Approach)
When you combine both the definition the doctors use (ICD) for Vaginismus (V) and the definition mental health providers use Genito-Pelvic Pain/Penetration Disorder (DSM), the merger becomes V/GPPPD allowing us to treat the patient holistically while considering how this impacts patient and their partner. This also creates a more straightforward treatment path for all professionals.
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(Lahaie et al., 2010; Macey et al., 2015)
Whose Definitions?
It is important to understand who is defining your problem.
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The two most common manuals professionals use are:
International Classification of Diseases (ICD)- Doctors
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)- Mental Health
These manuals standardize patient research, diagnosis, and treatment.
(APA, 2013; Carvalho et al., 2011; First & Westen, 2007).
Who Does This Impact?
Vaginismus is a worldwide problem & can affect people from multiple cultures.
However, research states it occurs more often with:
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Limited sexual education
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Decreased understanding of their body
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Conservative religious backgrounds
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Body shame related to cultural norms
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Anğın et al., 2020; Dolezal & Lyons, 2017; Fadul et al., 2019, Teitelman, 2004
***This is not an exhaustive list of countries where women experience vaginismus.
This represents the cultural identities of the women I have treated.
Transgender Persons
Vaginismus affects the transgender community through a diversity of experiences and expressions as this condition embodies intersectionality with unique considerations.
Holmberg, M., Arver, S. & Dhejne, C. (2020)
Listen to what Dr. Angela Stoehr has to share.
Resources for Transgender Persons- click here.
Pain with sexual penetration is a concern that impacts the transgender community. However, trans men and trans women experience painful intercourse for different reasons.
Holmberg, M., Arver, S. & Dhejne, C. (2020)
*This diagnosis affects all genders and sexualities; however, I focused my research on cisgender, heterosexual females.
** There is limited published research on treatments or innovations, specifically for transgender persons who experience painful vaginal penetration.
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Relationship Difficulty
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"I want to be pregnant, to prove to myself and others, we have sex."
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Intimacy Issues
"I keep thinking, how many more times am I going to disappointment my partner"
Shame
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"I feel so much shame, I can’t be the wife he thought he was going to get”
Vaginismus is not just an individual problem,
it is a couples' problem.
See below how vaginismus impacted a married couple for over 10 years of their relationship.