Some people do not feel sexual desire toward anyone they encounter. This is known as asexuality. It may be caused by physical or psychological factors and can affect all genders and ages. Sexual attraction is often characterized by visual stimulation, sensory pleasure, emotional connection, and mental fantasies.
It can also involve genital touching, clothing, body language, auditory cues, personal grooming, or scents that are socially acceptable for heterosexuals but are taboo for homosexuals. Asexuality occurs when these desires and attractions do not exist or are minimal. It may stem from an imbalance of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, oxytocin, endorphins, serotonin, norepinephrine, testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, or thyroid hormones which regulate mood, libido, and energy levels. The brain's limbic system processes social interactions and emotions to generate sexual arousal. But some asexuals enjoy intimacy through non-sexual activities like hand-holding, snuggling, kissing, touching, or cuddling. Some have no romantic interest in others due to a lack of empathy or trust issues while others seek platonic relationships based on shared values and goals. Others may find sex physically unpleasant due to painful, embarrassing, humiliating, stressful, confusing, or exhausting experiences.
Despite the prevalence of asexuality, there is little awareness about it and those who identify with this orientation face stigma and discrimination. They may be labeled as abnormal, flawed, damaged, inadequate, unattractive, disordered, dysfunctional, repulsive, freakish, deviant, immoral, perverted, sinful, criminal, or sick. Parents may reject their child or siblings may ridicule them for being different. People may assume they are asexuals because of traumatic events or poor self-esteem, but this can cause depression, anxiety, low self-worth, body image problems, suicide attempts, eating disorders, substance abuse, isolation, violence, bullying, harassment, victimization, and rejection. Asexuals struggle to form healthy partnerships when they feel pressured to conform, hide, suppress, or fake emotions. Many use sexual techniques or substances to please partners but some break up if they cannot satisfy each other's desires. Others remain single to avoid social awkwardness, peer pressure, social media scrutiny, partner expectations, relationship responsibilities, financial obligations, legal liabilities, or familial duties. Some asexuals seek medical treatment, therapy, support groups, online communities, or bloggers who validate their experiences. While there is no cure for asexuality, education, empathy, understanding, respect, acceptance, and tolerance can reduce prejudice and discrimination against those who experience it.