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This Is So Embarassing...

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mortiis31

Bronze Member
I have done this my whole life from when I was a child being abused by my father right up until now - over thirty years later it still happens.
Every time I orgasm when I am with a woman, I find myself apologizing for it, sometimes repeatedly. I feel stupid and worthless in doing this, and it feels unnatural to me, but I have always done it.

My father used to make me apologize for 'making' him orgasm, so I think it possibly stems from that, his placing the blame on me for the abuse etc.

This, however, does not go down to well with most people - they simply don't understand or 'get' it, and it feels uncomfortable for both parties.

With my ex girlfriend it was quite good, she knew about my abuse (I do tell most partners, because I am afraid that when they find out they'll leave me), she used to console me and tell me that there is nothing wrong with accepting the pleasure with her, and that it's a good thing etc.

I have actually been dumped/left for doing this, and I'd like to not do it. I often do not orgasm because of it, and this causes massive frustration (not to mention huge physical pain also on my part).

Which does indeed bring me to my next problem...

I cannot/will not masturbate. I never have done it since I was about 12. I was taught that masturbation was for my Father only, and that if I ever did it to myself then I would be punished severely, possibly killed. He owns/owned the right to that service alone.
This does prove to be a problem when I am not in a relationship, as the physical strain and pain can be quite excruciating indeed, sometimes to the point of not being able to pee or even walk properly. I've gone months, even years sometimes without release, and I have my dreaded Father to thank for it.

I have no idea how to deal with either problem, I feel completely f*cking abnormal, and dirty because of both things, but I don't know how to handle them, I don't know how to cope.

X
 
Thanks for being brave and writing this. Even though I'm a woman, there are similarities here, and I do understand. Personally, I can't orgasm with someone else. My abuser took that ability away from me. I do orgasm when I masturbate, but I beat myself up in my mind as soon as I do. I feel like I've just done something so filthy and disgusting, and I feel like a horrible person for masturbating. I don't even get a lot of pleasure from the orgasm. It sounds weird, but it's like just releasing pressure that builds up. The negative feelings just prevent me from the enjoyment. I think therapy could help with your problem, so I hope you have someone that you trust and can talk to about this. I know how hard it is to talk about sexual details in therapy. It's hard for me, too.
I can't really offer any solutions. All I can say is there are other's out there that understand. If it helps, try to remind yourself that these feelings were forced upon you by your father....as a little boy, he was bigger than life, and you accepted what he taught you without question, because that's all you knew. It was abuse, and it was wrong.
I've never really experienced a healthy sexual relationship myself, but I believe that with the right partner, sex should be something beautiful between two people, and orgasming is natural, and normal, and not at all disgusting.
 
Leona,
thank you so much.
I read your stories here and know what you've been through (some of it at least). I can relate to a lot of it, and it's nice (in a weird way) to find someone to relate to on that.
I've been in counseling for over 4 years almost now, have never brought this issue up with her (I guess we just don't talk about that kind of thing in there). She thinks that sexually everything is normal for me - when in reality I am a complete f*ckup, to be honest.

I have had sexual relationships with most of my girlfriends I have had (I enjoy sex, as a whole), but it's just that one thing (oh, and sometimes receiving oral can produce extreme flashbacks which cause painful memories) that I have problems with,
Most people would run a mile when told about what I've endured, so it's why I try not to tell them, you know?
 
Well, it would probably help to find a therapist that you can actually talk to about this. I know how hard it is, though. I've actually told my therapist about my orgasm problems, and how I can make it happen when I'm alone, and I usually have a little "backlash" of wishing I hadn't told her the next day. Not because she wasn't understanding and all that, but because of my own shame. And, I feel the same way you do....that most guys would run in the opposite direction from me if they knew all my problems with sex. I'm an attractive woman, though middle-age, so I don't have a problem attracting men, but I'm just so sick of feeling defective, so I really don't put myself out there to actually find someone. It gets harder when you're my age, anyway. I don't know how old you are, but when you're in your forties, I think it gets harder to find a good match. I find a lot of men my age are paired up already.
 
I find a lot of women my age (almost 35) are paired up or "not interested" too, it seems we have a bit in common haha.

Through all of this I try to hold my sense of humor close (however how dark it may seem to others, it helps as a distraction technique for myself).
I just feel bad talking to my therapist, I feel ashamed about raising sex with her, more likely because she is female, an attractive woman, yet I could NEVER have a male therapist, it just would not work.

X
 
Yeh, I could see how a male therapist would trigger a lot. I joke about myself a lot, too. It's a useful coping skill, and brings a much needed smile to my face.
 
Well done for posting this Scott. I have a male Therapist, who I get on with very well, and he knows 'I have issues with intimacy' - but that is as much detail as I have been able to give him. Like you have said, it is just not something we talk about.

I was wondering if you were to print out your oriiginal post and hand it to your therapist what her reaction would be. I am not saying you SHOULD do this, just wondering how the T. would take it. If I did something similar to my T. I would feel embarrased for him, but I suspect he would not be surprised. I have thrown a lot at him over the past year and nothing has fazed him so far. Sometimes he has to go away and bring the solution at a later date, but nothing is ignored.
 
Sorry, I got interupted there and stopped midway!

Scott, I am impressed that you are able to share your difficulties. I cannot do so in such detail. I don't feel I have the words for it. I have started on the forum by talking about 'now' and then occasionally delving back. I cannot go back for long or I get stuck.

I just feel bad talking to my therapist, I feel ashamed about raising sex with her,
I understand. I sometimes feel I am not 'entitled' to a sex life, and that I should just be grateful that I am no longer a jibbering wreck. I am happily married with a VERY patient husband, but our sex life is like zilch. He understands, but I just wish he didn't have too...

Anyway, thank you Scott and Leona for starting/contributing to this thread. I will be watching it closely waiting for somebody to post 'the magic cure' lol:hug:
 
I think you are very brave, regardless. I have serious flashbacks with each sexual encounter even though my husband is a very patient man and very different from all the other abusers. I think you are in a difficult situation because I can see how a male therapist would not help but maybe your therapist isn't the right one for you (that is just a thought only okay?). I can't advise you in any way here because I am so messed up in the sexual arena myself! But I do hope someone with a similar problem finds you here and can help you with this issue. :hug:
 
I think you are very brave, regardless. I have serious flashbacks with each sexual encounter even though my husband is a very patient man and very different from all the other abusers. I think you are in a difficult situation because I can see how a male therapist would not help but maybe your therapist isn't the right one for you (that is just a thought only okay?). I can't advise you in any way here because I am so messed up in the sexual arena myself! But I do hope someone with a similar problem finds you here and can help you with this issue. :hug:

Blutarg,
I do hope someone can find me here (amongst everyone else) and help me in some way too. My partner now is very very supportive, I cannot find myself to orgasm with her, she does try so very hard, yet she also sometimes becomes upset because she blames herself in some way (she feels as though it is her that cannot make me orgasm etc). It is not her... it's me - it just feel as though my Father is trying to make me orgasm, and I cannot get past that really.

These particular feelings are relatively new (I've always had the testicular vascongestion/build-up of semen and non able to masturbate problem), but the not being able to orgasm with a partner because I am feeling like I am with my Dad again are new (new to this partner, to be honest).
She does not remind me of my Dad in any way, shape of form (she's completely beautiful and I adore her something terrible!), she does everything right and tries very hard to make me happy (she does make me happy in every other way).
I believe that these feelings are related to talking about the actual abuse episodes from my childhood with my therapist last year, they seem to have triggered old memories, and joined themselves to the act of orgasm/sex in some strange and bizarre way.

Who knows, maybe I am just broken!
 
Blutarg,
I do hope someone can find me here (amongst everyone else) and help me in some way too. My partner now is very very supportive, I cannot find myself to orgasm with her, she does try so very hard, yet she also sometimes becomes upset because she blames herself in some way (she feels as though it is her that cannot make me orgasm etc). It is not her... it's me - it just feel as though my Father is trying to make me orgasm, and I cannot get past that really.

These particular feelings are relatively new (I've always had the testicular vascongestion/build-up of semen and non able to masturbate problem), but the not being able to orgasm with a partner because I am feeling like I am with my Dad again are new (new to this partner, to be honest).
She does not remind me of my Dad in any way, shape of form (she's completely beautiful and I adore her something terrible!), she does everything right and tries very hard to make me happy (she does make me happy in every other way).
I believe that these feelings are related to talking about the actual abuse episodes from my childhood with my therapist last year, they seem to have triggered old memories, and joined themselves to the act of orgasm/sex in some strange and bizarre way.

Who knows, maybe I am just broken!

I think you are so right when you say that it could be because you have been speaking about it and now it is very raw and like an open wound or exposed so to speak. Don't give up. I believe somehow you can do this, you just have to be patient a little while longer until you find the "how". Your girlfriend must be somebody really special and I am happy for you that you have someone like her to support you in all this.
 
This really is so hard isn't it? I am so pleased that you are able to write about it & share it on here. My sexual hangups have only become apparant since I started therapy, but in a way it is just because I have only just acknowledged that I have a problem. Before to 'grin and bear it' was good enough. Now I have realised that is what I was doing and I want to be abe to enjoy sex.

I can relate very much to what you describe, but even now I cannot say it. Not even to myself. Guess I have to get past that to be able to move on.

I sometimes wish that I could just have an 'off' switch, in order to switch off my thoughts at will when I want to have sex. I use Quetiapine for anxiety, and feel that is exactly what it does to enable me to sleep at night. However to take it to switch off my thoughts enough to have and enjoy sex, but not to fall asleep sounds like a tall order for any medication! The fact that, on the advice of my T. I have completely given up alcohol doesn't help!

As Blutarg has put above you must not give up. I am coming to the conclusion that what I should really be doing is trying over and over. That is not as easy as it sounds as, of course it takes two to tango and I don't want him to just feel he is part of an exercise or experiment, or that I am using him.

Scott, can I be really rude, and ask how often you try? For the past year for me, it was less than once a month. I think that is appalling, but I was in pretty poor shape. Now I am getting better and wanting to try more, but I think my husband has got used to me not wanting to, and doesn't like to initiate anything for fear of upsetting me. I guess we are both walking on eggshells.....
 
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