When you start taking an SSRI, a class of antidepressants that increase serotonin levels in the brain to improve mood. Also known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, these drugs include Lexapro, Prozac, and Zoloft — among the most prescribed mental health medications in the world. Many people find relief from depression and anxiety. But for a lot of them, a quiet, frustrating side effect shows up: SSRI sexual dysfunction, a group of sexual side effects caused by SSRIs that can reduce desire, delay orgasm, or make sex feel emotionally flat. It’s not rare. Studies show up to 70% of people on SSRIs experience some form of it — yet most never tell their doctor because they think it’s just "part of the deal." It’s not. And you don’t have to live with it.
This isn’t just about libido. SSRI-induced libido loss, a specific type of sexual dysfunction where interest in sex drops significantly. It’s also about delayed or absent orgasm, reduced genital sensation, or even emotional numbness during intimacy. These aren’t side effects you can ignore — they can damage relationships, lower self-esteem, and make people quit their meds altogether. The good news? You have options. Some people switch to antidepressants like bupropion, which rarely causes sexual side effects. Others add low-dose medications like sildenafil to counteract the impact. And some simply adjust timing — taking their pill at night, for example, so the drug’s peak levels don’t coincide with intimacy.
What you’ll find in the posts below are real, practical discussions about how SSRIs affect the body, how they interact with other drugs like NSAIDs (which can raise bleeding risk), and what alternatives exist. You’ll see how people manage these side effects without giving up their mental health progress. You’ll learn why some medications like Levitra Soft or Viagra Jelly are sometimes used off-label to help, and how the placebo effect can play a role in how you experience these changes. This isn’t theory. It’s what people are actually doing — and what works.
Published on Nov 20
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Many common medications cause sexual side effects like low libido, erectile dysfunction, and orgasm problems. Learn which drugs are most likely to cause these issues and what you can do about them.