The fear and dread of the sexual activity are so strong that it can bring on an actual panic attack. When people who have sexual aversion are single, they can often avoid dealing with their disorder by moving on to another partner. If married, the marriage will survive only if the other partner will adapt to a nonsexual experience. Sexual aversion can be different from a discomfort from touching, which some people who were raised in nontouching families have. Often, these people enjoy sexuality but are uncomfortable with other physical contact, especially with strangers.
Some people have both sexual aversion and discomfort with touching.
People with sexual aversion sometimes have a lot of sweating, a pounding heart, dizziness, faintness, nausea or dry mouth when faced with a sexual situation. Anticipation of a sexual situation may trigger just as strong a response. It is interesting to note that sexual phobics are often able to masturbate, but have phobic reactions when it involves another person. Some are able to have relations with someone of their own sex but are too fearful to have sex with the opposite sex. Sexual aversion requires specific treatments from a professional trained in this area of sexual therapy.