Stopping smoking reduces ones libido?

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Woman China

I've not smoked four about four months now, I am not saying I've "quit" but I've given it up for a while.

I've noticed that I've had little to no cravings for a cigarette; there have been two occasions I've wanted one and both times is when my temper flared. But otherwise, it's been easy to stop.

But that is not what this poll is about.

I have noticed that my usually hyper active libido has disappeared and left me. Now, it takes so much longer to get me interested in the man in my bed, and even masturbating I seem to just want to get it over with rather than my usual enjoying my body and what I am doing (there are times when I still masturbate like I used too, but it takes lots of effort to get me to that point). I have been going through some family issues and some personal stuff but I was going through the same stuff in late 2011 and my libido was still hyper active.

This poll is for those of you who have quite smoking, or stopped smoking for a period of time over one month. For those of you who have quit or stopped smoking for more than a month, did you notice a decrease in your libido? If so how long did it take before it returned to normal? Did it return to normal? How did you "solve" this?

Answers (private voting - your screen name will NOT appear in the results):

I am a woman

I am a man

and I've quite smoking for good

and I've stopped smoking for more than a month

I did notice a change in my libido.

I did not notice a change in my libido.

I shall explain more below because I'm really a nice person.

Total votes: 30 (11 voters)

Poll is closed

06/29/2012

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Master DarkWolf

Didn't notice any difference, have always been a smoker.

06/29/2012

DreamWolf

Quote:

Originally posted by Master DarkWolf

Didn't notice any difference, have always been a smoker.

I didn't notice any difference either, and I have been a smoker off and on, now am a smoker still, though I wonder if it is because I always hated "plastic tobacco" (aka not pure tobacco), but oh well... ^^

06/29/2012

Woman China

Please pay attention to what the poll is asking:

"This poll is for those of you who have quite smoking, or stopped smoking for a period of time over one month. For those of you who have quit or stopped smoking for more than a month, did you notice a decrease in your libido? If so how long did it take before it returned to normal? Did it return to normal? How did you "solve" this?"

Dream: how long were you "off" smoking for?

06/29/2012

Terri69

I didn't notice a difference when I quit smoking...

06/29/2012

Airen Wolf

(EF Review Program Mentor)

Quote:

Originally posted by Woman China

When I quit smoking I actually noticed my libido increasing simply because I could smell and breathe BUT during the time my body was readjusting it was very hard to be sexual when I could smell EVERYTHING. Suddenly even the most common aromas were nauseating, so while I wanted sex sometimes I couldn't bear being breathed on by my partner who was also quitting. He was having halitosis from the sinus discharge that accompanies the body's attempt to detoxify. Once we had gotten the toxins out and had a good dental cleaning I had no trouble.
Now the smell of a smoker kinda turns me off, where it used to be a very sexy thing.

I should mention that we quit well over 6 years or so ago and that we quit completely.

06/29/2012

P'Gell

I don't smoke tobacco and never have. My husband has been a smoker as long as I have known him. He has quit several times, once for well over a year. A few years ago, he quit with Chantix (but stopped taking it when his mother got all bent out of shape that he quit (she's nearly 80, and has smoked since she was 12 and seems to get upset when other people manage to quit) and told him the drug would make him "want to commit suicide." The fuck?)

I noticed an increase in drive (if that's possible with him, he's pretty horny most of the time) when he is off cigarettes. Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor and should decrease the ability to gain either an erection or decrease blood flow to the clitoris and other female genitals. In fact, studies have found lower sex drives and lower performance and softer erections in people who use tobacco.

Maybe the decrease is from the stress. I can't see it happening from quitting smoking. Unless you are using an antidepressant medication to quit, that might effect your sex drive. Usually things which increase health also result in an increase of sex drive.

06/29/2012

js250

I quit for about a year a few years ago--have restarted but that is another story...

I noticed an almost immediate decrease in my sexual drive. I had no motivation, a lack of desire and when I did want sex, I wanted it now and not lingering. I think that mentality was from the lack of instant gratification that I was used to with my cigarette. When I would light up, I received instant gratification on my nerves, happiness, etc. when I masturbated I wanted the same effect. I am a want it now type of person, impatient for reward and have a higher emotional/stress level than many of my friends.

This could be the reasoning behind it. Higher emotional/stress levels and instant gratification needs. My stress levels kept getting higher and I caved in after a year and smoke again. Sorry if this is not what you are trying to figure out, but this was my experience with smoking cessation. If I was calmer and less emotional AND if I would have gotten help with the instant gratification/lack of patience part of me there might have been a better outcome.

06/29/2012

Woman China

Quote:

Originally posted by js250

This actually makes a lot of sense.

In everything else, I seem to have an increased level of simply put, happiness. It takes a heck of a lot longer for my temper/anger to flare. My appetite is still the same, I've not noticed anything with the rest of my body that could possibly not be better at the moment.

However; my sex drive seems to have been misplaced or went away with the cigarettes.

Js250, while you had quit, did it come back at all?

P'Gell, a lot of these issues have been around for me for quite a while, there are some relatively new ones, but I've had similar issues brought up over the years, where they troubled me till I worked them out then all was well again. I've overcome or worked out the problems, but still nothing has changed. I am on no medication, I just basically woke up one morning when I was ill and decided I would not smoke again till I was back to my 100% self. I am still healing from the accident so I cannot smoke or think about starting to smoke again till I am healed.

06/29/2012

SexyLilPixi

I noticed the difference, IMMEDIATELY. BUT (and this is a huge "but") then again I had to go through a very rare life threatening experience and a major, intensive surgery in order to quit (or even remain alive. I would have died within days w/o emergency surgery) as well. It could have been the trauma from that...and then my uncle's death, my dog's, so much has happened since.

It's slowly coming back, as long as it's not distracted by things that put it off/turn it off. Who knows, though, it did plummet right after I quit, but it could have been any of those other subsequent events or the weight of the combination. It's also probably the most overly-hyperactive libido walking the earth, too. Maybe it just needed a rest or refuel.

11/27/2012

SexyLilPixi

Come to think of it, I did still pretty much have it when I recovered from surgery. It was the events after that.

11/27/2012

Eugler

I had been smoking for 5 years, quit for 5 years, been smooking again for 3 years and now I have been 'clean' for 3 years now. I've never noticed a change in libido due to smoking.

The more significant changes were: pelvic floor exercises and eating more than 3 eggs per day for a longer period.

01/28/2013

naturegirl

I hadn't been a heavy smoker for 7 or 8 years (a pack of 20 would last me 6 to 8 weeks!) so I quit completely about 18 months ago. If anything, my libido has increased! That could be due in part to being on HRT but I just feel so much better, cleaner and more "desirable"!

01/28/2013

Total posts: 13 Unique posters: 10

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