Sexual Depression - SSRI Keeping You Down?

Such a depressing ending to it all. At least it was great while it lasted. It should not end that way though. After sexual intercourse, you should feel good instead of depressed. You should be thrilled and feel great, like you did when you were having sex and reached the point of no return; the orgasmic state where millions of pleasurable sensations flood your body and mind all at once. However, many people feel a big let down after orgasm and we like to refer to it as sexual depression.

The reason that depression may occur after sex is because that ejaculation, and doing it too much, can result in over discharge of the brain’s parasympathetic battery. The serotonin (mood transmitters) synthesis is modulated by the parasympathetic nervous function (Learn: Ways to Increase Your Serotonin Naturally).

Draining the parasympathetic battery will interfere with the production of serotonin creating an imbalance that can result in depression. Too much of a good thing and the same goes with sex. Having too much sex will produce the consequences listed above.

Depression medications (SSRI) do not increase the production of serotonin but slow down the serotonin synthesis by the body. It also interferes with the production of the parasympathetic neurotransmitter Acetylcholine. As a result, your parasympathetic action on the adrenal and testicular functions will become too weak, leading to deficiency of DHEA and testosterone productions. This results in another form of sexual depression, a secondary depression that is the result of being unable to have sex, not wanting to have sex, or not enjoying sex.

Generally, SSRIs can weaken erection and result in impotence. That is, it can force the brain to shut down or to weaken the parasympathetic link (acetylcholine action) to the testicles, prostate, and penis.

Erection requires a continuous acetylcholine action on the nervous ends of the penile tissues and arteries to produce the erectile transmitter Nitric Oxide (NO) and then the erectile dilator cGMP with two liver enzymes that translates the amino acid L-arginine to NO (with the enzyme NO synthase) and then cGMP (with the enzyme guanylate cyclase). The testosterone burst during a sexual encounter will charge the parasympathetic sexual nerve for a higher action potential to produce more NO and cGMP to hold the erection and power up the penis.

If your brain-testicular function cannot produce a testosterone burst you will lose your erection during sexual intercourse and ejaculation will result in sexual exhaustion.

If SSRIs overloads your liver P450 detoxification system, your liver may produce less and less NO synthase and guanylate cyclase, resulting in impotence!

And we all thought SSRIs were supposed to relieve us of depression! In sexual cases, it only adds to frustration and depression.