Antidepressants

How Antidepressants Greatly Influence Your Sex Drive Negatively

Written by Words by Rawiya Kameir

For some, taking antidepressants means experiencing some form of sexual dysfunction. Experts are still researching the sexual side effects caused by antidepressants to figure out why they happen and how to prevent them. There may be some antidepressants that cause fewer sexual side effects, and there are also promising ways to manage or prevent these effects. Depression can happen when certain chemicals in the brain are out of balance. “Antidepressants work by affecting the levels of certain chemicals that work in the brain,” explains Dr Kathryn Basford, a GP at Zava, an online doctor. “This helps when it comes to mood, but some of these chemicals also play into the normal sexual cycle. So adjusting the chemical levels can affect levels of desire, the feelings of arousal and even orgasm.”

However, somewhat ironically, depression and anxiety can also cause a low libido – so in some cases, it’s tough to know which came first. Decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, blocked orgasm are all side effects of Antidepressant. By raising levels of serotonin in the body, the person taking the drug experiences a feeling of calm and less anxiety. However, that same sense of calm and stability can lower our libido. A lot of people who do not seek advice or are too ashamed to talk about it, gets the mental agreement that it’s a permanent condition that might be incurable but the truth is, it gets better if you have the right knowledge of Antidepressant and sex drive.

The purpose of taking an antidepressant is to help you feel and function better, but here is the tricky part – Antidepressant kills your sex drive. Taking Jess Commons as a case study, she had been on antidepressants on and off since she was 13. “I can attest that these things help in a longer term relationship too. But most importantly, as with most things, it’s the communication that is key. You might think an honest chat about how you’re not feeling sexy might hinder things, but what’s worse are the missed cues, hurt feelings and misunderstandings that could result from staying quiet.” She said.
Because, as lots of people on antidepressants will tell you, antidepressants can play havoc with both your libido and your ability to achieve orgasm. And it’s really annoying.

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