Some antidepressants can affect sexual desire, arousal or orgasm. SSRIs are one group associated with these effects, although people's experiences differ. Depression, anxiety, other medicines and physical health can also affect sex, so a change is worth discussing with the person who prescribes your medication.
Keep taking your medicine as prescribed while you seek advice. Do not stop suddenly, skip doses or change the dose to see whether your sex drive returns. Your prescriber can help you weigh the benefits of treatment against side effects and decide what is appropriate for you.
What changes might you notice?
You might feel less interested in sex, find it harder to become aroused, or notice that orgasm takes longer or does not happen. Some people experience genital dryness. The patient leaflet for your specific medicine explains recognised side effects and when to seek advice.
These are different experiences, so describing them separately can help. 'I want sex, but I cannot orgasm as easily' tells your prescriber something different from 'I rarely feel interested in sex now.'
You do not need to compare your experience with anyone else's. The relevant question is what has changed for you and how much it is affecting your life.
Look at the timing without diagnosing it yourself
Make a short note of when the change began. Was it before treatment, after starting a medicine or after a dose change? Has your mood changed over the same period? Are there other symptoms or medicines to mention?
Timing can provide a useful clue, but it cannot prove that the medicine is the sole cause. Mental health symptoms and treatment effects can overlap. A clinician can review the wider picture with you.
Our hormones and libido guide covers other possible contributors. Avoid adding supplements marketed for libido without checking with a pharmacist or prescriber; they may interact with treatment.
Preparing for the appointment
Write down the medicine name, dose and when you started it, along with other prescribed medicines, over-the-counter products and supplements. Note the particular sexual change and whether it is persistent or varies.
You could begin with: 'This treatment is helping my mood, but I'm finding it much harder to orgasm. Can we discuss that side effect?' Or: 'I've noticed much less interest in sex since starting this medicine, and it is bothering me.'
Useful questions include:
- Could this be a side effect of my medicine?
- Are there other possible causes worth assessing?
- What options can we discuss, given how treatment is helping me?
- When should we review the symptoms again?
- What should I do if they continue?
A pharmacist can also explain the patient leaflet and help you prepare questions. Decisions about changing treatment belong in a conversation with your prescriber.
Talking with a partner
If you want to explain what is happening, describe the change plainly. 'I still enjoy being close to you, but orgasm has become more difficult since I started treatment' can help a partner understand your experience. Only say that if it reflects how you actually feel.
Discuss which kinds of contact you welcome at present. You can choose affection, sexual touch, solo time or a break from sex. A partner should not pressure you to alter medication or continue an activity that feels unwanted.
Lubricant may reduce friction when dryness is present, but it cannot resolve every cause of discomfort or a medication-related change in desire. Persistent pain or dryness deserves its own assessment.
Common questions
Will the side effects definitely go away?
No one can promise that. Some side effects improve, while sexual effects can sometimes continue, including after stopping treatment. Tell your prescriber if symptoms persist.
Should I miss a dose before sex?
No. Take the medicine as prescribed and ask your prescriber about concerns.
Can a sex toy solve it?
A toy may be something you enjoy, but it is not a treatment for a medication side effect. Discuss the change rather than relying on stronger stimulation to overcome it.