LAUSR

Everyone agrees that sexuality1 is an important component of a person's life. And yet, it is underexamined and underresearched— especially in the context of mental illness. Even amongst psychiatrists and psychologists, it is surprising how infrequently we enquire about sexual wellbeing. Therefore, in this series of QuiPs, we don't simply pose the question of why, but also point out the need for such enquiry and provide suggestions as to how to approach the issue. We begin by first outlining the core foundational aspects of sexuality— those of sex and gender, and then survey the landscape to gain an appreciation of normative sexual behaviours and sexual wellbeing. This QuiP also provides definitions and resources to better understand these behaviours. In subsequent QuiPs, we will consider what questions to ask in clinical practice, and how best to interpret various responses and their significance. We will also consider the importance of sexual behaviour and wellbeing in the context of mental illnesses and in particular examine the bidirectional relationship that exists in mood disorders.