Asking for a friend: Sex with my husband has dwindled to an occasional treat. I feel really hurt at the lack of intimacy - how can I get things back on track?

"My issue is that our sex life has really dwindled into an occasional treat, and I really miss it. It could be once a month now, although earlier this year it was a good three or four months where nothing happened. He says there's no issue, and that we have just been busy. I will admit we are very busy, and often there's no energy left to do anything other than veg on the couch before going to bed."

"I don't have any worries that he will cheat or anything like that as everything else is so good between us. I just want us to go back to having the good times that we used to have. Intimacy is very important to me, and if I'm being really honest, I do feel really hurt that it has dropped off."

A couple with small children and overall success experiences a sharp decline in sexual intimacy, now occurring about once a month after stretches of three to four months with no sex. The husband attributes the decrease to being busy while both partners face fatigue and low energy from work and parenting responsibilities. The wife feels hurt because intimacy is important to her and the decline is unprecedented in their relationship despite no conflicts or distance otherwise. There are no concerns about infidelity. Such declines are common and often arise from comparing current life to others or to earlier relationship standards.

Read at Independent