Sexual appetite in people with depression

It is estimated that at least 4% of the world's population suffers from depression. However, the figure could be higher, up to 12%, since, according to specialists, there are many undiagnosed cases.

Sexual appetite in depressed people: new findings

One of the effects of depression is a decrease in sexual appetite, and this is aggravated by some antidepressant drugs that lead to alterations in one's sexual desire.

Ángel Luis Montejo, Research Coordinator of the Hospital de Salamanca Psychiatry Service, warns that studies show that the most commonly used antidepressants, tricyclics and SSRI cause altered sexual response in approximately 50% of treated patients.

This phenomenon is observed in patients regardless of their sex, and it is usually an aspect undervalued by doctors, but one that can further damage the patient's mental state, also disturbing their marital relationship and therefore their desire to maintain relations.

According to Montejo, the solution is found in the treatment with dual antidepressants, stimulating the norepinephrine and serotonin, as key hormones in improving the mood and, consequently, the sexual appetite.