Sex Life & Depression - 3 Tips That Might Help

Depression is one of those experiences when one may feel sad, lonely, dejected and discouraged. Doubt, anxiety and uncertainty crawl in so much so that they may lead to problems in decision making. A depressed person feels devoid of energy and the motivation to do anything at all seems to have disappeared.

Depression and some antidepressants curb sexual drive. This has a negative effect on the depression as sex releases 'happy hormones'. Thus, depression and your sex life share a cyclic relationship. The effect of depression on your sex life is a result of both brain functioning and physical changes in the body.

So if depression is badly ruining your sex life, doing these will help big time:

1. Depression often makes a person withdraw from others and cease to enjoy any experience. This becomes a thought pattern that cannot be cured with medication. Talking to a counselor can help unlearn these thought patterns and help people form new social bonds. As part of the treatment, the patient will need to find and explore new ways of enjoying sex that can strengthen strained relationships.
2. Having an open conversation with your partner is key to improving relationships and one's sex life. Talk about your sexual needs and help your partner understand your mental barriers to sex. Find forms of foreplay that appeal to both of you. It is also important for you and your partner to understand that there is no 'standard' to how often you should have sex or how you should feel after it.
3. Ask your doctor to adjust medication In cases where the antidepressant curbs libido, lowering or adjusting the drug dosage can be a solution to treat the depression without curbing sexual desire. Do not attempt to adjust your medication on your own. Your doctor may also change the drug to another that does not affect your sex drive. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Sexologist.