Sexual Dysfunction with Antidepressants: A Clinical Review

Sexual dysfunction is an important unwanted phenomenon of psychotropic medications. This is often underreported and not given due importance, which can often lead to impaired quality of life and less-than-optimal medication compliance. All types of psychotropic medications are linked to sexual side...

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Main Authors: Shorouq Motwani, Anita Hukumchand, Sagar Karia, Sushma Sonavane, Avinash Desousa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publisher 2023-06-01
Series:Indian Journal of Private Psychiatry
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Online Access:https://www.ijiapp.com/doi/IJPP/pdf/10.5005/jp-journals-10067-0143
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author Shorouq Motwani
Anita Hukumchand
Sagar Karia
Sushma Sonavane
Avinash Desousa
author_facet Shorouq Motwani
Anita Hukumchand
Sagar Karia
Sushma Sonavane
Avinash Desousa
author_sort Shorouq Motwani
collection DOAJ
description Sexual dysfunction is an important unwanted phenomenon of psychotropic medications. This is often underreported and not given due importance, which can often lead to impaired quality of life and less-than-optimal medication compliance. All types of psychotropic medications are linked to sexual side effects. As the underlying mental disorder improves, some of the sexual issues abate, but treatment-related sexual adverse effects may persist over time and are unfortunately underrecognized by clinicians and scarcely investigated in clinical trials. When it comes to sexual dysfunction due to psychiatric disorders, there are two important things to understand. First, any mental illness can cause sexual dysfunction, and second, severer the underlying psychiatric disorder, severer is the sexual dysfunction (in both frequency and severity). Even though patients may be suffering from mental illnesses of variable severity, it is important for them to have a normal and enjoyable sex life. The reported incidence of sexual dysfunction found with antidepressant medication varies considerably between different studies, making it difficult to estimate the exact incidence or prevalence. The sexual problems encompass a range of sexual disorders and include decreased sexual desire, decreased sexual excitement, diminished or delayed orgasm, and erection or delayed ejaculation problems. Patients with sexual disorders usually also have anxiety disorder and vice versa; also, women with sexual dysfunction are more prone to anxiety and depression compared with others. This happens because sex steroids and the various neurotransmitters modulate both sexual function and mood. The mechanism by which psychotropic medications affect the sexual cycle is through the interaction between medications and the various above-mentioned neurotransmitters. Physicians should monitor their patients for antidepressant-induced sexual adverse effects, as these may affect compliance with therapy and the ultimate treatment success. Sexual function should be actively assessed at regular intervals. Management of antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction requires an individualized approach.
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spelling doaj-art-a97b2204d2644ed59f371c0f3f343ed12025-08-20T02:12:15ZengJaypee Brothers Medical PublisherIndian Journal of Private Psychiatry2319-53632583-40102023-06-01172788210.5005/jp-journals-10067-01437Sexual Dysfunction with Antidepressants: A Clinical ReviewShorouq Motwani0Anita Hukumchand1Sagar Karia2Sushma Sonavane3Avinash Desousa4Department of Psychiatry, Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College, Mumbai, Maharashtra, IndiaDepartment of Psychiatry, Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College, Mumbai, Maharashtra, IndiaSagar Karia, Department of Psychiatry, Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College and Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Phone: +91 9594530457, IndiaDepartment of Psychiatry, Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College, Mumbai, Maharashtra, IndiaDepartment of Psychiatry, Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College, Mumbai, Maharashtra, IndiaSexual dysfunction is an important unwanted phenomenon of psychotropic medications. This is often underreported and not given due importance, which can often lead to impaired quality of life and less-than-optimal medication compliance. All types of psychotropic medications are linked to sexual side effects. As the underlying mental disorder improves, some of the sexual issues abate, but treatment-related sexual adverse effects may persist over time and are unfortunately underrecognized by clinicians and scarcely investigated in clinical trials. When it comes to sexual dysfunction due to psychiatric disorders, there are two important things to understand. First, any mental illness can cause sexual dysfunction, and second, severer the underlying psychiatric disorder, severer is the sexual dysfunction (in both frequency and severity). Even though patients may be suffering from mental illnesses of variable severity, it is important for them to have a normal and enjoyable sex life. The reported incidence of sexual dysfunction found with antidepressant medication varies considerably between different studies, making it difficult to estimate the exact incidence or prevalence. The sexual problems encompass a range of sexual disorders and include decreased sexual desire, decreased sexual excitement, diminished or delayed orgasm, and erection or delayed ejaculation problems. Patients with sexual disorders usually also have anxiety disorder and vice versa; also, women with sexual dysfunction are more prone to anxiety and depression compared with others. This happens because sex steroids and the various neurotransmitters modulate both sexual function and mood. The mechanism by which psychotropic medications affect the sexual cycle is through the interaction between medications and the various above-mentioned neurotransmitters. Physicians should monitor their patients for antidepressant-induced sexual adverse effects, as these may affect compliance with therapy and the ultimate treatment success. Sexual function should be actively assessed at regular intervals. Management of antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction requires an individualized approach.https://www.ijiapp.com/doi/IJPP/pdf/10.5005/jp-journals-10067-0143antidepressantserectile dysfunctionlibidopsychotropicssexual dysfunction
spellingShingle Shorouq Motwani
Anita Hukumchand
Sagar Karia
Sushma Sonavane
Avinash Desousa
Sexual Dysfunction with Antidepressants: A Clinical Review
Indian Journal of Private Psychiatry
antidepressants
erectile dysfunction
libido
psychotropics
sexual dysfunction
title Sexual Dysfunction with Antidepressants: A Clinical Review
title_full Sexual Dysfunction with Antidepressants: A Clinical Review
title_fullStr Sexual Dysfunction with Antidepressants: A Clinical Review
title_full_unstemmed Sexual Dysfunction with Antidepressants: A Clinical Review
title_short Sexual Dysfunction with Antidepressants: A Clinical Review
title_sort sexual dysfunction with antidepressants a clinical review
topic antidepressants
erectile dysfunction
libido
psychotropics
sexual dysfunction
url https://www.ijiapp.com/doi/IJPP/pdf/10.5005/jp-journals-10067-0143
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