Antidepressants, libido, sex drive

Antidepressants, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, have been shown to impact libido and sex drive. With symptoms like reduced libido, delayed ejaculation, erectile dysfunction and an inability or delayed ability to reach orgasm. I have been on sertraline which is one of the most common SSRI’s.

Antidepressants are the second most prescribed drug by NHS Wales with figures over 2.5 million being prescribed in 2018, the figure in England, data from NHS Digital show that 70.9 million prescriptions for antidepressants were given out in 2018, compared with 36 million in 2008.

This is a startling number. One of the reasons I actually decided to write this post. Of course, I am writing this from a man’s perspective. I can’t comment on it from the fairer sex point of view. Women taking SSRIs may experience delayed lubrication as well as delayed or blocked orgasm. Generally, women are also likely to experience a lack of desire for sex. In some cases, women report discomfort during sex.

No interest.

For me, I have had little to no interest, but you are single I hear you say. An old joke observes that 98% of people masturbate, and the other 2% are lying. In a recent study, only 38% of women said they’d masturbated at all during the past year. The figure for men was 61%. Hmmm do you believe the figures, we all know we can make statistics say anything we wish. For me, there was no desire to even masturbate, I would have rather had a cup of tea and some cheese. You could have put all my female fantasies in a room and I doubt that there would have been much interest. When I did masturbate I do not recall actually ejaculating and gave up.

So as I have written about I have now come off my antidepressants, it is only a week but in general, I am feeling a lot better in myself and have so far touch wood not experienced any side effects.

Antidepressants, libido, sex drive.

“Pathways of sexual desire involve serotonin, but also chemicals such as dopamine and norepinephrine,”. “Dopamine is linked to the intense passion and arousal of romantic love. While norepinephrine is associated with the heightened attention and motivation of desire. Serotonin-enhancing antidepressants blunt sexual desire by reducing the capacity of dopamine and norepinephrine, or excitatory pathways, to be activated.”

Natural treatment

So I am now going back to basics. Through diet and meditation and exercise.

Foods to increase dopamine and norepinephrine.

Dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yoghurt.
Unprocessed meats such as beef, chicken and turkey.
Omega-3 rich fish such as salmon and mackerel.
Eggs.
Fruit and vegetables, in particular bananas.
Nuts such as almonds and walnuts.
Dark chocolate.

There is strong scientific evidence showing that meditation and yoga can naturally release and increase dopamine and norepinephrine as well as serotonin.

My doctor believed that I was suffering from depression brought on by low serotonin levels and his first thing was to recommend antidepressants (SSRI’s sertraline). I fully understand that the doctor does not have the time to investigate the root cause. I have done my own research and am going back to basics and will see how I get on.

natures antidepressants

I have been thinking for a while now how natures antidepressants make me feel better than the sertraline I have been taking. Rather than feeling like a zombie with no interest in anything at all. I actually feel alive after being in nature. Living so close to the Brecon Beacons and the Black Mountains I know I am spoilt for choice. There is so much to explore for every ability.

Today’s walk was in Talybont forest in the Brecon Beacons national park.

This is a relatively easy walk all though a bit slippery in places, well it is when you clamber of wet mossy rocks to get a better angle for your pictures. I had procrastinated and wasted the morning making excuses not to go out. Just after lunchtime and having decided that I would not take my antidepressant I showered and get ready to go out.

Natural or manufactured?

Natures antidepressants were the order of the day. Being in, on or around water lifts me. Being in woods or forests lifts me. The local mountains lift me. Why I have stopped getting out baffles me, it is only since being on the tablets that I have stopped. I had even stopped my mindfulness, stopped eating my fermented foods. It is proven that all of these help with mental health. When you also take in the exercise that I am missing out on another proven help in mental health. Is it any wonder that one tablet can not have the same benefits as several natural things we have done forever.

Weaning off

I won’t just stop the tablets as I am aware there are side effects associated with it, I will, however, cut back on them until I wean myself off them. There have been no positives that I am aware of since starting them. People say to give them time before making a judgement. It is now 10 weeks since starting on these. The cons at present outweigh the pros. I see no cons in natures antidepressants and the other things I was doing such as mindfulness and healthy eating.

I have also gained weight since being on the sertraline. So for me, it makes sense to start weaning off the big pharma crap that masks the root cause but doesn’t cure it. If they created cures they would soon be out of business, so I am going back to natural and natures antidepressants. Time to give myself a kick up the arse and get on with it. I have signed up for red January again for MIND this will be my accountability for being active every day.

Been a while since I wrote but had a good Christmas with Ffion being here a lot of the time and she is back with me tomorrow. I plan on getting out in the morning before going to collect her and Frank for New Years Eve. No partying for me a quiet night with my tinker and the hound. A glass of wine for me hot chocolate for Ffion that is after shes had the steak shes ordered for tea. Wishing each and every one of you a Happy New Year. Love from me and mine to you and yours, good health to you all.

triggers and coping

Sunday evening is one of my triggers. It’s one thing, anyone, with mental health issues, has to learn, their triggers and coping. My Sunday night trigger is taking Ffion home. Throughout the day it builds from getting up. Knowing that she will be going home well her and Frank will be. I recently posted about alone and loneliness. There is no issue in being alone and enjoy time by myself but Sunday night I often feel lonely. There is a huge difference in being alone and lonely. I know this is coming and recognise it as one of my triggers. I have now started to put things in place, this is my triggers and coping.

It would be all to easy to just sit here put shit on the telly and get drunk to block it out for that short time the drink took over the mind. Having been there done that I know it is not the answer to the problem. Most weeks I now take Ffion home late afternoon then come home and cook my tea, this gives me something to occupy the mind and focus on. Another thing is picking up one of my hobbies be that editing some photos, writing like I am now, listening to music. It definitely helps me having coping practices in place and knowing my triggers.

Different strokes for different folks.

Triggers can be internal or external, including smells, sights, sounds, and emotions that remind the person of the past trauma in some way. Triggers can also be relevant for those with other mental health disorders, including anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and substance abuse. Like I said earlier my substance abuse was drink, I would drink to excess to block it out. Foolishly I believed that was me coping with my issues. The reality was it only made my issues worse.

My coping

Social media has its pros and cons with both triggers and coping for me. There are times you look on social media and everyone is happy and living a perfect life. Even though myself and everybody else knows that all we see are the highlight reels of peoples lives we still compare and chastise ourselves. Then it is an excellent resource for connecting with others, be that friends or through various groups that exist. It can be a great coping tool by taking away that loneliness through social interaction.

Often on a Sunday night, I have an Epsom salt bath. There is so much scientific evidence on the benefits of this, it is by far the easiest and best ways to get certain minerals into the body. From magnesium known for its sleep benefits to reducing stress and exercise recovery. For a long time, I have talked about the benefits of mindfulness and meditation and its benefits as a coping mechanism for so many aspects from anxiety to depression.

Mindfulness and meditation

There are plenty of online resources and apps with guided meditations.

I am currently following one that triggers the pineal gland and thus actually release serotonin. There is not a single antidepressant that does this, we have SSRIs but they manage serotonin not create it. There is a lot of medical thought that depression can be a low level of serotonin. If by doing something totally natural and not a product of the global big pharma helps me then I will take that every day.

This is by no means an exhaustive test if how I cope or my triggers, everyone’s triggers and coping is different. Find your triggers and work out how you will cope with them.

My inbox is always open and I will always reply to any messages.

Please comment about how you cope with your triggers. What do you do to manage?

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