Sexual Dysfunction and Sex Therapy: An Historical Perspective

Abstract

Summary

Sexual dysfunction has been reported across cultures and across time. The Hindu literature and the Ayurvedic system offer insights into assessment and management of various kinds of sexual dysfunction. Behavioural regimes were fairly well known in the traditional Ayurvedic texts. Religious writings have often proved to be the richest source of information about sexual behaviour. The relationship between the nature of creation, the need for reproduction and the importance of sex in life has often been discussed in religions. Artificial sexual aids were well known in both ancient China and India. This paper attempts to draw an historical analysis of varieties of sexual dysfunction across various societies. It also comments on the historical development of sex therapy.