2020-04-24 12:52:46
Nearly one in five people in the French population have suffered or will suffer from depression during their life (source 1). A common pathology which also greatly affects the sexuality. What Magali Croset-Calisto, sexologist, confirms in her book Less stress thanks to sex : ” THE depressive states induce a reduction in libido, arousal, reporting frequencyeven anorgasmia or even anejaculation.”
Inevitably, all this also has repercussions on the couple. How to deal with these complex relationships between sex and depression ? To understand, we interviewed Gregory Fritsch, clinical psychologist.
What is the link between libido and depression?
First, there is several types of depression : chronic, acute, what we call “normal” or “reactive”, for example in cases of bereavement, separation, etc. For each of them, there are still several states. But in any case, these are times when the mood is affected and therefore inevitably the libido is affected.
Sexuality is neglected because psychic life is focused on something else. To have a sexual life, there must be an entanglement (entanglement) of the life drive and the death drive. However, in the case of depression, death impulses generally dominate, explains Gregory Fritsch, clinical psychologist.
Furthermore, in addition to their pathology, some people suffer from the effects of their treatment, because the antidepressants are well known for inhibit libido.
Antidepressants and sexuality: what effects on libido?
Almost all antidepressants negatively affect libido. The most commonly used medications for depression are specific serotonin reuptake inhibitors (fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline, citalopram and escitalopram). These antidepressants aim to stabilize moodthey act on the neurotransmitters which control the latter (dopamine, serotonin). Assuming that there is a peak in libido, this will therefore be limited and regulated by the treatment. This is also why sexual relations decrease in the event of drug treatment.
Not to mention that “the so-called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (IRS) antidepressants expose one to sexual adverse effects. may persist for a long time following stopping the drug », adds an article in the journal Prescrire (source 2). “In mid-2019, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended to add the mention of persistent sexual disorders in the official information of certain antidepressants,” the article notes.
Why limit the desire to make love?
Pour avoid suicides : if I don’t rise too high, I don’t fall too low either. It’s a story of balance and balance. But if it seems that treatments that do not alter sexuality are emerging, certain others might cause spontaneous orgasms, or even trigger hypersexuality, according to a 2017 study (source 3). In short, it’s not yet won!
Can we, on the contrary, want sex more? Or even fall into addiction?
Yes. Even if it is rarer, it can happen to have compulsive behavior with sexuality. That is to say, in order not to fall into depression, we increase sexual relations (alone or in pairs). The objective is to make “shots” of serotonin by through enjoyment, in order to compensate for a depressive state latent (Editor’s note: rather to camouflage sadness than for pure pleasure). We come back to the death or life drives.
Sexual disorders and depression: what to do to regain desire?
Before seeing a doctor or psychiatrist and taking medication, you must make an appointment with a psychologist (who, we remind you, does not prescribe), in order to begin a psychotherapy. The fact of verbalize your problem with someone neutral is the first step towards healing.
I also suggest associating practices around the body: physical activity, massage, etc. Find activities for discover or rediscover a pleasureis often a good option.
Can sexual disorders cause or amplify depression?
Having sexual disorders can also affectmoodbecause it will attack theself esteem, create doubt. Same when, in a couple, the communication no longer passes by or we speak little. These successive disappointments can lead to something like depression. But once more, it’s rarer in that sense.
As a couple, how to behave with a depressed partner?
Support the spouse in their care, even if it means also making a couples therapy in the first place. When it comes to sexuality, it’s regarding going through tender tactile moments which are not necessarily sexual, in order to help his partner to reconnect with your bodily pleasure, to let desire emerge once more in the other. Finally, you need… patience. It’s a moment to spend in a lifetime.
If you are lacking sex, how can you be patient?
This is also why couples therapy is welcome: it allows the partner of the depressed person to speak out and for the latter to realize that she can help the couple. Afterwards, of course, if things don’t evolve at all, you might have to leave the other person, because sometimes you’re not doing a service by staying (too much attention, for example, doesn’t necessarily help).
The testimony of Cécile, companion of a depressive
Cécile, in her forties, is the mother of a 6-year-old little girl. Her partner has been depressed for several years.
“This has greatly weighed on our sexual and romantic relationships. We almost broke up and then finally we held on. Through testing, work, questioning and love, we ended up finding our balance. Today, he and I suffer less from this situation.”
And bref: mood and desire are closely related and influence each other. If we are depressed or our libido is at zero, it is therefore appropriate to engage in work (alone or as a couple), both on the body and the mind.
Who are the people most affected by depression?
Depression affects more women than men, reports the World Health Organization (WHO) website (source 4). “It is estimated that 3.8% of the population suffers from depression, including 5% of adults (4% of men and 6% of women) and 5.7% of people over 60.”
1694894639
#Depression #sex
