Intimacy and sex
If you are suffering from depression, you may often experience sexual problems. These problems could be:
- reduced interest in sex and reduced libido
- reduced ability to retain sexual arousal (applies to both erections and orgasms)
- early or delayed ejaculation
- menstrual problems
- low self-esteem and the thought of not being good enough
Interest in sex
Two-thirds of all people who are suffering from depression have a reduced interest in sex. When you are unhappy, you may feel the need for more comfort and acceptance. Perhaps you are desperate for satisfaction which is impossible to achieve. You may also be desperate for reassurance.
If you are experiencing sexual problems, the sexual side-effects may be linked to antidepressants. However, most sexual side-effects are temporary. If the problems continue to persist, please consult your doctors for advice.
Professional help for sexual problems
Medicines can affect your sexual arousal, your erection or lubrication (ability to become moist), sexual satisfaction, orgasms and/or ejaculation. Some of these symptoms can also be due to the illness itself. It is difficult to distinguish the difference between the two.
A number of options are available to you if your medicine causes you to experience sexual side-effects. Talk to your doctor or psychiatrist who is prescribing your medicine. Your doctor may reduce your medicine or allow you to have short breaks between taking the medicine. You may also be given medication to counter the side-effects.
Psychological help
Psychology plays a big part in sex and intimacy. You could learn to compensate any negative effect on your sexual function by learning new techniques and skills to cope.
If for example you find it difficult to get an erection, you could learn how to increase your sexual stimulation through certain thought process. You could for example also try new positions where intercourse is possible even if you are finding it difficult to get an erection.
If you suffer from low self-esteem, examples like: feelings of not being attractive, not being interesting, not being beautiful or handsome or you feel your partner is better off with someone else or preferring someone else to you. These feelings are destructive and can become worse if you don't seek help. You don't normally feel this way when you are well.
Many people decide to seek therapeutic help for relationship problems. Therapists prefer to work with both partners in a relationship because as mentioned earlier, relationship require both partner to put in effort, therefore, it is alway easier if both party are receiving therapy at the same time.