Telegram
Sexual problems
Love is not the result of adequate sexual satisfaction; on the contrary, happiness in sexual relations — even knowledge of so-called sexual technique — is the result of love… A study of the most frequent sexual problems — frigidity in women and the more or less severe forms of psychogenic impotence in men — shows that the cause lies not in insufficient knowledge of technique, but in inhibitions and repression that make love impossible. Fear or hatred of the opposite sex lies at the root of these difficulties, which prevent a person from giving themselves fully, acting spontaneously, and trusting a partner in open and direct physical contact. If a sexually repressed individual can free themselves from fear or hatred and thereby acquire the capacity to love, their sexual problems are resolved. If not, no knowledge of sexual technique will help.
Category: Ideas about relationships
Questions about this article
01How does Erich Fromm connect love and sexual harmony?
Fromm reverses the idea that love follows from good technique. For him, trust, spontaneity, and the capacity to love create conditions for satisfying intimacy, while fear, hostility, and repression can obstruct it.
02Are sexual difficulties caused only by psychological factors?
No. The quotation reflects Fromm's humanistic position, but sexual difficulties may have medical, medication-related, psychological, relational, and social causes and need individual assessment.
03What should someone do when a sexual problem persists or causes distress?
Consult a qualified medical or sexual-health professional and, when appropriate, a psychotherapist. A general quotation does not replace assessment and should not be used to blame a partner.