Happiness or Pleasure: Antidepressants and Sexual Dysfunction

Hello to all, I just wanted to share an article that affects so many people, but people are scared to talk about it. The author's name is Daniel Michaels from "Pornhub Sexual Wellness Center" where it is said that "Real talk about sex from those who know it best". The reason why I wanted to share this article is because I myself have suffered from depression and anxiety and I was afraid to actually talk about it to anyone. If you are clinically depressed and also experiencing sexual problems, you're not alone. Sexual problems, such as erectile dysfunction (ED) or an inability to have an orgasm, often co-exist with depression. The good news is that doctors can usually treat sexual problems that are related to depression. That being said, think of the brain as a highly sensitive sex organ. Sexual desire starts in the brain and works its way down. That's because of special brain chemicals are known as neurotransmitters. These chemicals increase communication between brain cells and trigger more blood flow to the sex organs. The problem is, with depression and other mood disorders, the brain circuits that communicate using these chemicals don't function properly.

Happiness or Pleasure: Antidepressants and Sexual Dysfunction
by Daniel Michaels

Have you ever experienced a chronic level of reduced mood, a loss of interest or pleasure, decreased physical activity, and/or impairments in concentration? If you have, then you may have spoken with your family doctor or psychiatrist were diagnosed with major depression and prescribed an antidepressant. So let’s say that the antidepressant worked for you (in many cases they don’t the first time) you began to feel better and life seemed a bit more manageable. That is, of course, until you and your partner decided to get intimate. So now you’re in the bedroom and either your libido has completely checked out or you’re about ready to reach orgasm and it’s a complete bust (and not the good kind). A sense of shame, confusion, and anxiousness came over you as you tried to understand what was going on in your brain. Guess what? You are absolutely not alone, what you experienced is such a common side effect of antidepressants that it’s sparked scientists to try and understand the root of the problem.
What does sexual dysfunction look like you ask? Well, dysfunction may appear in any phase of the sexual response cycle, from desire, to arousal to orgasm and ejaculation. Some specific types of dysfunction could include decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, anorgasmia (which is the lack of orgasm), delayed ejaculation, etc. More recently, it’s been shown that antidepressants may also interfere with aspects of one’s romantic relationship beyond the bedroom. So it’s no wonder that antidepressant induced sexual dysfunction is one of the biggest reasons why people don’t comply with taking their medication. A common question I get when I talk to people about antidepressant induced sexual dysfunction is “if it’s so common then why haven’t we changed our drugs yet or come up with a better solution”?
My answer…“It’s complicated”. For one, treating depression is a complicated matter mostly because we don’t really know what exactly in the brain causes this mental illness. While there have been tons of breakthroughs in the field, any new drug treatment will take years to become approved and used in clinical practice, so for now, antidepressants are the best we’ve got. Another thing is that about 40 – 65% of patients with a depressive disorder experience some level of sexual dysfunction and antidepressants actually HELP them with these symptoms. So now the villains of the story are the heroes and they’re responsible for some major sexual healing.
Since the beneficial effects of a healthy sex life for patients with a mental illness has been repeatedly supported by research, sexual dysfunction must be considered when managing depression.
So what do we do now? Here are some steps you could consider taking if you or someone you know is experiencing antidepressant induced sexual dysfunction. As always, you should discuss making changes to your treatment plan with your doctor.

1. Wait for spontaneous resolution of the sexual dysfunction, which has been shown to occur in 19 – 30% of patients
2. Take a drug holiday, which is when a patient stops taking a medication for a period of time
3. Switch to another antidepressant
4. Try psychotherapy or alternative forms of managing depression instead of antidepressants
5. Integrate natural food products that increase libido
6. Experiment with your sexuality and try new things to spice it up
7. Most importantly, be open with your partner about your symptoms

Source: Pornhub Sexual Wellness Center
Real talk about sex from those who know it best.

Many men and women with depression tell of having low or no sexual desire. And that puts a tremendous strain on intimate relationships. Here are some of the known sexual problems associated with antidepressants:

• Inability to initiate or enjoy sex
• Erectile dysfunction (ED) or delayed ejaculation for men
• Decreased sexual desire
• Inability to achieve an orgasm

More importantly, how are sexual problems with depression or with antidepressants treated? If you have depression and are noticing a reduced interest in sex or problems with sexual functioning, it is important for you and your doctor to figure out if the cause of sexual dysfunction is the depression, the antidepressant you may be taking, or some other medical explanation. There are ways to manage the sexual side effects of antidepressant medicines without compromising treatment. Your doctor might try newer antidepressants that may not dampen the libido or sexual response, or he may prescribe another medication to try to counteract sexual side effects, which can be taken in tandem with the antidepressant.

Without knowing there's a sexual problem, your doctor can't do anything about it. Talk openly with both your partner and your doctor. Then ask your doctor what might help your situation.

Once they realize that the sexual problems associated with the medications can be treated, most people taking antidepressants choose to continue taking them.

Source: WebMD Medical Reference Reviewed by Michael Dansinger, MD on October 15, 2016