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 sexual desire itself.
Ángel Luis Montejo, Research Coordinator of the Psychiatry Service of the Salamanca Hospital, warns that studies show that the most used antidepressants, tricyclics and SSRIs cause alterations in sexual response in approximately 50% of treated patients.
This phenomenon is observed in patients regardless of their sex, and is usually an aspect that is undervalued by doctors, but it can further harm the patient’s mental state, also disturbing their marital relationship and therefore their desire to maintain relationships.
According to Montejo, the solution is found in treatment with dual antidepressants, stimulating norepinephrine and serotonin, as key hormones in improving mood and, consequently, sexual appetite.
