It is a fairly well known fact that depression and anxiety can reduce our desire to have sex.  However, were you aware that many of the medications we take for our depression and anxiety can also cause sexual dysfunction?  If you were not, you are not alone.  Most people are unaware of these particular side effects.  Doctors do not like to talk about them out of fear that their patients might refuse to take their medications.  Patients do not like to talk about them, because the topic is often embarrassing to them.

With both patients and doctors being reluctant to talk about the sexual side effects, they are under reported, making the information about them  inaccurate.  In the past many experts thought that the sexual side effects of these medications were mild and did not last very long.  They based this idea on what had been reported to them by patients and their doctors.  Now some experts are beginning to think that the sexual side effects could be long term and in some cases will still exist even after the patient has discontinued the anti-depressant.

Some sexual side effects are:

• A lack of desire – for both men and women
• An inability to have an orgasm
• An inability to ejaculate
• An inability to achieve erection
• Little to no sensitivity in the genital area

I am part of the percentage of people who have to deal with the sexual side effects of their anti-depressants.  What little desire for sex I had before I began taking anti-depressants, has completely disappeared. I also have almost no sensitivity and orgasms are a thing of the past.

When I first began experiencing these side effects, I honestly did not know what to do.  Discussing my sex life with anyone was something that I was emotionally unprepared for.  I was so reluctant to discuss what was going on, I did not even tell my husband.  I just faked my way through enjoying intercourse.  When I finally got enough courage, I told my counselor what was going on and she encouraged me to tell the doctor.  By the time I saw the doctor to let him know what was going on, I had done some of my own research in hopes of getting some ideas on how to combat what was going on.  He and I both decided to add welbutrin into my treatment program, and see if that helped.  It has….to some degree. Eventually I quit faking and told my husband.

My point in sharing all of this with you is that, if you are experiencing these types of side effects, you are not alone.  Please take the time to discuss the issue with your psychiatric doctor.  In my case my counselor knew how uncomfortable I was discussing this subject with my doctor and she offered to tell him for me.  This might be an option for you if you are too uncomfortable discussing it with your doctor.

Again, if you are experiencing sexual side effects with your depression medication, please talk about it with your doctor.  There is nothing to be ashamed of.