Libido

For the Peruvian rock group, see Líbido; for the Cushitic language, see Libido language.

Libido in its common usage means sexual desire, however more technical definitions, such as found in the work of Carl Jung, are more general, referring to libido as the free creative, or psychic, energy an individual has to put toward personal development, or individuation.

Psychology

Sigmund Freud introduced the term and pointed out that libido is the instinctual energy or force that can come into conflict with the conventions of civilized behavior. It is the need to conform to society and control the libido, contained in what Freud defined as the Id, that leads to tension and disturbance in both society and the individual. This disturbance Freud labelled neurosis. Thus, libido has to be transformed into socially useful energy, according to Freud, through the process of "sublimation".

Libido can also be classified as the urge to create life. For humanity, the natural way in which this occurs is through sex. However at a deep unconscious level, the two can be merged as one, given the reason in evolutionary terms for sexual attraction and sex drive. Using this term, the antonym of libido is destrudo.

Reduction in libido can occur from psychological causes such as loss of intimacy, stress, distraction or depression. However, it may also derive from the presence of environmental stressors such as prolonged exposure to elevated sound levels or bright light.

Androgen steroid therapy can cause signicant increases in libido.

References

Gabriele Froböse, Rolf Froböse, Michael Gross (Translator): Lust and Love: Is it more than Chemistry? Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry, ISBN 0854048677, (200

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Psychology

References

See also