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“Why Can’t I Climax?” Everything You Need to Know About Anorgasmia

“Why Can’t I Climax?” Everything You Need to Know About Anorgasmia

Female orgasms can vary from person to person. Some women find it easy to achieve climax during intercourse, while others prefer certain positions. However, there are some women who can’t climax at all, or find it really difficult to achieve orgasm. A common question for these women is “Why can’t I climax?”

What exactly is the reason why this happens? Does it have anything to do with their body, or is achieving climax something that takes “practice” for it to happen? Find out the answers to these questions and learn more about anorgasmia in women by reading on.

Why Can’t I Climax?

In theory, achieving climax should be pretty straightforward. It happens after some sexual stimulation, and can be achieved through intercourse or masturbation. But what if it takes too long for it to happen, and you or your partner just gets tired? What could be the reason for this?

This condition is known as anorgasmia, or an orgasmic dysfunction. This refers to a situation wherein a woman can’t achieve climax even if she’s sexually excited1. If this happens frequently, someone with anorgasmia might lose interest in sex altogether. They might feel that its a chore, its no longer satisfying, or they just get frustrated since they can’t have an orgasm.

Based on statistics, it is estimated that about 10%-15% of women have never had an orgasm. To add to this, about half of women are not satisfied with how often they have an orgasm. This is a pretty high number, so it is important for women to know how they can orgasm easier.

why can't i climax

Why Can’t Some Women Achieve Orgasm?

Understanding how orgasms work can help people better understand how to achieve it. People might think that its as simple as just stimulating the vagina, but its more complicated than that. The brain and body need to work together to achieve sexual climax.

For example, if a woman is stressed out, tired, has negative experiences or even trauma about sex, they might find it hard to achieve orgasm. This could be due to the fact that they are not in the right “headspace” so to speak. So even if they’re stimulated physically, and they enjoy sexual activity, if their brain isn’t in sync, then they can’t have an orgasm.

In the case of anorgasmia, a woman might feel that she’s almost ready to have an orgasm, but it takes a long time for it to happen. This can eventually make her feel tired or frustrated, and this makes it even harder to achieve orgasm.

Some women might also have anxiety, or even fears that their partner might not be interested in them sexually. All of these things can factor into having difficulty with achieving orgasm.

It Could Be Due to Insufficient Stimulation

Another possible reason that a woman can’t climax is that they’re not stimulated enough. The reality is that most women don’t climax from sexual penetration alone2. Unlike men, who can climax readily through stimulating the penis, women sometimes need clitoral and not just vaginal stimulation to achieve an orgasm3.

What You Can Do About It

Here are some things you can do about anorgasmia in women:

  • Know your erogenous zones. Some examples are your G-spot, clitoris, breasts, and other sensitive areas of the body. Stimulating these areas might make it easier to achieve orgasm.
  • If you’re taking medication for depression or anxiety, these can affect your sex life. Try talking to your doctor to see if they can change your prescription4.
  • Weight loss and exercise can make it easier for some women to achieve orgasm.
  • If you struggle with wayward thoughts, trauma, or are stressed out during sex, seeking therapy might improve your sex life.

Have you ever asked the question: why can’t I climax?

Regardless of what might be causing anorgasmia, the important thing is to not just let it be. Sex and sexuality are important aspects of our health, and any problems that you might have during sex should be addressed.

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Disclaimer

Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

  1. Orgasmic dysfunction in women: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001953.htm, Accessed November 3, 2021
  2. Anorgasmia in women – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anorgasmia/symptoms-causes/syc-20369422, Accessed November 3, 2021
  3. What can cause orgasm problems in women? – NHS, https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/sexual-health/what-can-cause-orgasm-problems-in-women/, Accessed November 3, 2021
  4. There’s Help for Women Who Can’t Achieve Orgasm – Cleveland Clinic, https://health.clevelandclinic.org/theres-help-for-women-who-cant-achieve-orgasm/, Accessed November 3, 2021
  5. Difficulty reaching female orgasm | healthdirect, https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/difficulty-reaching-female-orgasm, Accessed November 3, 2021

Current Version

06/23/2022

Written by Jan Alwyn Batara

Medically reviewed by Janie-Vi Villamor Ismael-Gorospe, MD

Updated by: Kristel Lagorza


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Medically reviewed by

Janie-Vi Villamor Ismael-Gorospe, MD

General Practitioner


Written by Jan Alwyn Batara · Updated Jun 23, 2022

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