ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5
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[–] Phoenix_MD 0 points 5 points 5 points (+5|-0) ago (edited ago)
Doc here. Certain antidepressants affect brain chemicals that subsequently cause low libido. Your dick works just fine, but you simply aren't in the mood.
Edit: other posters below are correct. Climaxing is more difficult as well. Thanks for pointing that out
[–] BLKavarice 0 points 4 points 4 points (+4|-0) ago
That's not entirely true. Some antidepressants make it very difficult to finish. Basically it reduces the sensitivity and which makes it incredibly difficult to get off.
[–] big_fat_dangus 0 points 3 points 3 points (+3|-0) ago
Nope, I took an SSRI for a few weeks, my drive and erections were normal, but I couldn't finish. Scary shit. I'd rather be depressed.
[–] HelloPanda26 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
Soon-to-be pharmacist here. We were taught in school that antidepressants mainly just cause low libido in terms of sexual side effects. However, there are many potential sexual side effects besides low libido. For one, trazodone can cause priapism which has nothing to do with low libido.
[–] LegendaryAsshole [S] ago
That's not true and I'm wondering...are you a real doc or do you just play one on the Internet?
[–] Phoenix_MD 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
Real doc, but anti-depressants aren't my speciality. Was trying to dispel the broken dick myth, but seems I overreached.
[–] HelloPanda26 0 points 5 points 5 points (+5|-0) ago (edited ago)
Do you mean it kills your sex drive, make it more difficult to have an erection, or make it harder to orgasm?
[–] Call_Me_Kelly 0 points 6 points 6 points (+6|-0) ago
Not OP but I believe they can cause all three.
[–] LegendaryAsshole [S] 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
Yes. All of those. Antidepressants can do all of those things and I've always wondered why/how.
[–] HelloPanda26 0 points 3 points 3 points (+3|-0) ago
Sure, I think I can answer that for you. First, I want to address that not all antidepressants cause sexual problems but many of them do. The ones that do usually affect how much serotonin there is in your body. You can think of serotonin as one of the keys that can help turn on some positive moods.
*** DISCLAIMER: these are just hypotheses for why things are the way they are. Here is the source of my information ***
First, let's address the sex drive. To start off, most of us have some understanding that a hormone called testosterone affects sex drive. More testosterone, more horniness. However, for our bodies to make testosterone, it partly depends on how much prolactin we have in our body. Essentially, too much prolactin --> less testosterone --> less horny. The reason that many antidepressants kill your sex drive is because it increases serotonin, which although a key to increase your mood, also turns on more prolactin release in your body. In a round about way, antidepressants hurt your sex drive by lowering the amount of testosterone in your body.
On to erection! To get an erection, your blood vessels basically get bigger so that more blood can go to your penis when you're horny. Antidepressants may make it harder to get an erection because serotonin can make it difficult for your blood vessels to enlarge. No enlargement --> not enough blood in your penis --> hard time getting an erection.
Last but not least, orgasm. Orgasms are helped along by a wide array of different chemicals, hormones, etc. One of the helpers is called dopamine. More dopamine --> easier to orgasm. Unfortunately, serotonin puts a hamper on dopamine so that it's harder to orgasm.
All in all, serotonin is like a master key that affects much more than your mood. There are locks for it in many places inside your body besides your brain. It's not to say drugs that affect serotonin are bad. It just means that you might experience some unwanted side effects. That being said, some side effects will get less over time so this isn't to scare anyone away from taking their antidepressants. :) As a reminder, if you're experiencing these sexual problems and it might be due to your medications, absolutely talk to your doctor! At the very least, talk to your pharmacist.
Please let me know if I explained things okay. It's something I really want to work on.
[–] Kazzius 0 points 3 points 3 points (+3|-0) ago
When I was on zoloft I could fuck hard for an hour straight and not cum, but I was also bored out of my mind while doing it.
Fuck that shit
[–] BobDaBuilder 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
TIL antidepressants cause sexual dysfunction...
Wouldn't that contribute to depression?
[–] HelloPanda26 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
Absolutely! That's why we have other antidepressants that don't really have sexual side effects. If you have sexual dysfunction as a result of antidepressant, tell your doctor! He/She will help you find the right antidepressant for you.
[–] Lindeed 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
Well, depends of what's reason of depression/taking meds (guy who's taking this kind of meds here, can do some short AMA if anyone intrested) - if the reason is problem with sex then obviusly you're right. But it's usually something worse that cannot making your pal hard. When i'm not on meds i'm getting awesome ideas, i can fuck for hours and do some incredible stuff, but i'm also spending half of the time under the bed (literally) because i'm scared of world out there or about things i shouldn't be worried now, so i'm lying and crying. While on meds i get less awesome ideas and i'm "colder" to everyone (not expression emotions that much which is socially awkard), but can also function as person in society, made money, talk to people and be "happier-without-emotion".
To OP - sorry, don't know why it's hard for me to get hard, i just know antidepressants can do anything (if you look at text you get with this - it's from pain in... somewhere, by vomits, throught impotention to internal bleeding.
[–] Fluxxer 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
It has something to do with brain chemestry and theres all sorts of different sexual side effects. I went through all the rounds of drugs with my DR. the weirdest side effects Ive had was delayed orgasm... meaning I felt like I came but nothing came out for like 20 seconds after the feeling... The other one was chunky cum... those both cleared up after I got off the meds... Honestly, the side effects are aweful, and Im no longer taking my meds... I started an exercise regiment as well as a diet and just complete lifestyle change, sure I get the depression and anxiety sometimes... but Now I just go for a walk instead of taking a Xanax... I really hope you get it figured out, side effects are aweful
[–] 1061359? 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
I'm no doctor, but it's messing with your brain chemistry, that's usually going to have some effects. Generally it's messing with the Serotonin, which is traditionally a "happiness" chemical. When that is out of whack, you're going to have unexpected results. http://www.brainphysics.com/howprozacworks.php
[–] daan ago
Because your dick is depressed