As with all sexual disorders, FSAD can be classified as lifelong (existing for the entirety of the person’s adult life) or acquired (developed after a period of normal functioning). It can also be classified as generalized (occurring across all partners, sexual activities, and situations) or situational (limited to certain partners, sexual practices, or situations). This disorder is not to be confused with hypoactive sexual arousal disorder. In the case of FSAD, the person does have desire, whereas with HSDD, the individual does not.   Women with F.S.A.D have sexual desire but for various reasons, have difficulty obtaining sexual satisfaction.

The following are the diagnostic criteria for FSAD as provided by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV, 1994):

A. Persistent or recurrent inability to attain, or to maintain until completion of the sexual activity, an adequate lubrication-swelling response of sexual excitement.

B. The disturbance causes marked distress or interpersonal difficulty.

C. The sexual dysfunction is not better accounted for by another disorder and is not due exclusively to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g. a drug or medication) or a general medical condition.

References:
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fourth edition. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.