In a study conducted in the USA, clinical depression is said to be a problem that affects the life of one out of every 5 adults in America. In fact, the purpose of use of these drugs is to increase the serotonin (happiness hormone) in the body and calm the person.
In fact, many of the prescription antidepressants belong to the SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors—you can think of it as reducing the effectiveness of serotonin—destabilizing it). In fact, antidepressants such as Prozac, Zoloft and Celexa are among the drugs that people complain about the most about their side effects. So why are these drugs not good for sexual life?
Since antidepressants have a high calming effect, the body can approach sexuality more unexcitedly.
These drugs prevent the hormones that cause the body to respond to sex, thereby triggering brain chemicals that cause feelings of pleasure. In other words, we can say that it disrupts the sexual desire for sex. In a study, it is stated that 58-70% of people who take antidepressants experience sexual side effects.
When women drink these drugs, they usually have problems with orgasm. At the same time, women seem to have a decrease in their sexual desire after using these drugs. In fact, according to experts, there are women who sometimes say they don’t feel comfortable even during sex. When men take antidepressants, they may have trouble getting an erection due to a lack of libido.
Sometimes they may even have trouble maintaining an erection. In addition, due to drugs in men, late or premature ejaculation problems may occur. Studies have shown that the antidepressant Celexa even reduces sperm count.
Weight gain due to antidepressants can also lead to a decrease in sexual desire.
Gaining weight can reduce the self-confidence of the person who wants to have sex. In addition, gaining too much weight at once can cause the energy needed for sex to be replaced by inertia (lethargy, inactivity). In order to eliminate this situation, it is beneficial for those who use antidepressants to do routine exercises. Also, if people who are unhappy in their sexual life due to antidepressants do not talk about this situation with their partner using open communication, the problems can get worse. Many people stop taking antidepressants instead of discussing the problem with their partner, thus deepening the effect of depression.
Those who want to experience full rein in sexuality should pay attention to the dose of antidepressants.
If your sex life is in bad shape because of the drugs you use, it is useful to consult your doctor and reduce your antidepressant dose. Or you can leave the time of taking the drug until after you have had a sexual experience. Of course, you need to make all these plans together with the doctor. Otherwise, when you make changes in your medication according to your mind, you may be alone with the risk of encountering unexpected results.
Sometimes doctors may prescribe a different antidepressant because of these possible side effects. If there are those who are considering such a change, they can identify the antidepressant that restricts sexual life, accompanied by a specialist, and prescribe one that will not cause negative side effects.
Sources: Healthline, Medical News Today, ABC, Single Care
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