For the last few years, I've been experiencing something strange during sex, and wanted to know whether anyone can relate, or has experienced something similar. I have mostly had a great sex life, but about 5 years ago, went through a difficult break up which was in part due to the fact me and my ex stopped having sex, his wish, not mine, and I struggled with feeling undesired and undesirable. It went on quite a long time, and it took a while to recover from those feelings afterwards.
Now, and over the last 3-4 years, since that break-up, with my new partner, (now husband), with whom sex is wonderful, when we have sex, sometimes my brain goes to another place: the streets around where I used to live during that difficult period, and in my mind, I see all the houses, streets, and landmarks where I used to walk at that time. The images are the same each time, the same streets, houses, etc. It is annoying, unpleasant and frustrating, because it takes me out of the moment and out of my body, it comes into my mind in a way I cannot control, and then I cannot easily get back into the moment, with these images running through my head.
I read MY DARK VANESSA by Kate Elizabeth Russell, and in that book, the protagonist describes seeing images of conveyer belts with loaves of bread when she is in sexual situations. (this is following sexual trauma). This is the only thing I've ever heard that's similar to what happens to me. I'm wondering whether anyone else can relate to this at all, or has thoughts on what could be causing it.