SSRIs and Sex

Can SSRIs cause persistent sexual dysfunction? Yes they can, but I’m deeply concerned that some of the reporting is missing the nuance of the situation and also at some of the rhetoric used, particularly in this guardian article (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/mar/02/ssri-antidepressants-sexual-dysfunction-side-effects-consequences-libido) describing the sensation as “lobotomised” (how would you know how that feels???)

Depression and anxiety can cause sexual dysfunction, particularly low libido and erectile dysfunction.

SSRIs like fluoxetine, escitalopram and sertraline can also cause sexual dysfunction, which includes the above symptoms and difficulties achieving orgasm. They can cause some sexual dysfunction in up to 2/3 of people who take them, which is a lot, and medicine is rubbish about counselling people beforehand and disentangling which symptoms are from the drugs, and what is from the undelrying disorder the drugs are there to treat i.e. do we blame the depression or the SSRI?

There is a greater understanding of post-SSRI sexual dysfunction (PSSD) where symptoms persist despite stopping the drug. We don’t really know how many can be affected by this or why, and while we can’t downplay the significant impact this has on peoples lives, we also can’t allow frightening headlines to scare people off of trialling what can be life saving medications for those with mental illness with the right oversight and support. We can have a call to arms for more understanding of side effects without pill shaming.