Androgen Deprivation Therapy Sexual Side Effects: Struggles and Strategies for Couples
Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT) is a treatment for prostate cancer.
And like every treatment option for prostate cancer, the side effects are likely to impact your sex life.
Which is why in 2012, Clinical Psychologists and researchers, Dr. Lauren Walker and Dr. John Robinson, interviewed 18 couples going through ADT treatment.
They wanted to identify factors that helped and hindered couples’ sex lives and intimacy. Their article shares these factors to help other couples on a similar journey of sexual re-navigation.
I personally most enjoyed the quotes from their interviews. I was left filled with empathy for both the man and his partner’s experience. (Note: they only interviewed heterosexual couples for this study).
I have highlighted quotes and points that jumped out at me (there is a lot of highlighting!).
They also put together a helpful summary table if you want to skim for ideas that might be relevant for your situation. Here is an exert of the Table:
Reference:
Walker, L. M., & Robinson, J. W. (2012). Sexual adjustment to androgen deprivation therapy: Struggles and strategies. Qualitative health research, 22(4), 452-465.