PHIL DAVIS
New York Times Syndicate - December 21, 1999
LOS ANGELES Call it the millennium bed bug.
Psychologists say an unprecedented collision
of traditional holiday worries and intense pressure to make this New Year's Eve
a once-in-a-lifetime event may lead to more fizzle than sizzle between the
sheets.
Just like some computers will be betrayed by
their own microchips at midnight on Jan. 1, 2000, some people's intentions are
likely to be thwarted by certain body parts at a crucial romantic moment.
New York sex therapist Dr. Judy Kuriansky
calls it ``your own little Y2K meltdown.''
There's no research to back up this latest Y2K
worry (food and shelter were more pressing concerns than good sex in A.D. 1000),
but mental health experts say it's no stretch to anticipate widespread sexual
frustration as couples strive to conceive a millennium baby, or make an
earthshaking intimate connection to mark the occasion.
``Of all the anxieties the millennium is
causing, it could certainly get into the bedroom, too,'' said Dr. Irving
Berkovitz, a professor of psychiatry at the University of California, Los
Angeles. ``Any stress can affect performance in the bedroom. If that person is
stressed by the millennium or Christmas or what have you, it's going to affect
them. Men, as you may or may not know, are very susceptible to performance
anxiety.''
Remember Dan Jansen, the star U.S. speed
skater. Going in as a favorite, his slips and mental miscues in three Olympics
earned him the title of ``the most pitied athlete in America'' until he
recovered his poise and won a gold medal in his last event in 1994.
The most memorable New Year's Eve in 1,000
years may be the sexual equivalent of the Olympics. Companies are pushing
romance diamonds, champagne, amorous getaways like never before, and couples got
busy back in April to produce the first baby of 2000. There's also a hint of
danger, which is always a good excuse for people to get intimate. (Hospitals
reported nearly double the number of births nine months after the New York
blackout of Nov. 9, 1965. Of course, television was also off the air, which may
explain it.)
Holidays also are ``marker dates,'' special
times that can increase emotions good and bad exponentially. And the millennium
is the mother of all marker dates, a time with promises of both spectacular
revelry and apocalyptic chaos. Toss in the millennium computer glitch, also
known as the Y2K bug, which may cause some computers to think its 1900 and
crash, and 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 31, 1999, promises to be a pretty interesting
moment.
``People are going to be playing harder,
traveling more than they're accustomed to and they're also going to expect to
have sexual relations,'' said Linda Fazio, a professor who specializes in sex
and disabilities at the University of Southern California. ``The celebration of
the millennium is a time to indulge all the physical pleasures you can engage in
at least that's what I'm hearing people say.''
That coupling of tension and great
expectations can kill sex drive like a cold shower. Traditional holiday blues
finances, forced merriment and strained family relations further set the stage
for sexual frustration.
``The things that cause inability to perform
frequently are the things that go along with the holidays too much alcohol, not
sleeping enough, trying to have sex when you're under a lot of tension,'' Fazio
said. ``I think people are going to be disappointed. Anything people try to do
as a one-time event is going to lead to some kind of disappointment.''
Just as Jansen's mental demons overwhelmed his
stellar skating abilities, the mind can be equally wicked when it comes to sex
especially for men.
``The expectation in (a man's) head is, 'I'm
supposed to perform here,' and that creates anxiety, which physically shifts the
body into a fight-or-flight response,'' said Kuriansky, a clinical psychologist
who hosts a radio show in New York City. The body shifts crucial blood and
hormones to areas devoted to self-defense. That leaves nothing left for sex.
On the flip side, the millennium could be a
massive turn-on.
``In many ways, people could think of this as
the first day of the rest of their lives,'' Fazio said. ``The year 2000 is a
time to start over, and that might alleviate some concerns. They might feel that
they can start again clean slate.''
The good news is, even if the millennium bed
bug strikes, it's a glitch with an easy fix.
First of all, don't expect the earth to move.
And, if it really doesn't, the key to recovery is knowing it's all in your mind,
Kuriansky said. Relax, laugh it off and keep snuggling. Think like Jansen and
wait for the chance to try, try again.
It took Jansen 10 years to win his medal.
Lovers who handle a sexual glitch with humor and calm will likely have to wait
only a few minutes for their reward.
``Some guys run from it, hide or withdraw
instantly,'' Kuriansky said. ``Don't blame yourself, recognize there are things
creating pressure at that moment, which should take the pressure off. Make a
joke of it with your partner. Say, 'Oh my goodness, the millennial meltdowm is
happening to me.' Humor takes pressure off. Sharing with your partner, if you
have that kind of relationship, also takes pressure off and allows acceptance.
``Stay with the desire to be together, and it
will return,'' she continued. ``Focus on another part of your body for a while.
Focus on the love.
``You don't have to create the millennium
baby.''
The bad news: The best solution is not to
think too much about it, which, of course, may be impossible to do now that you
know about it. (Visit the Daily News Web site at http://www.DailyNews.com.)
c.1999 Los Angeles Daily News
These articles appear on About.com by permission. They have been archived from About.com's NewsCenter. Visit today for the most recent health-related stories. Do not republish these articles without the permission of the original source.