Libido, the pill and antidepressants: questions and answers
A general practitioner and nutritionist answers followers' questions about low libido, combined oral contraceptives, antidepressants and stress.
Libido, the pill and antidepressants: questions and answers
The questions are yours.
The answers come from a doctor, a general practitioner and nutritionist.
What should you check first if your libido has dropped?
Answered by a general practitioner and nutritionist
When I work with libido, I face two big questions: is it the body's biochemistry or psychology?
Ideally, a doctor should order your tests after assessing any accompanying complaints, and then evaluate the results.
How can you restore libido while taking antidepressants?
Answered by a general practitioner and nutritionist
Unfortunately, you can't. Antidepressants that raise serotonin levels (SSRIs) interfere with dopamine production. This group of drugs can lower libido, make orgasm harder to reach and affect erection.
In some cases libido comes back after 3–6 months of taking antidepressants, and in other cases it recovers only after the medication is stopped.
Do combined oral contraceptives affect libido?
Answered by a general practitioner and nutritionist
Combined oral contraceptives and hormonal contraception can lower libido.
In some cases libido comes back after you stop taking them, which can take 2–6 months; in other cases, after some time has passed since you started taking them. It varies from person to person.
How can you restore libido during stress?
Answered by a general practitioner and nutritionist
Libido drops under stress, and that's normal: for the body, stress is a reaction meant for mobilisation and survival; we don't want to grow the population when we're in danger.
Give yourself time (the effects of stress wear off in 3 weeks to 3 months on average, and longer in some cases).
How can you restore libido during stress?
Answered by a general practitioner and nutritionist
Pay attention to your sleep: it should start at the same time every day and last 7.5–9 hours
Discuss the source of your stress with a psychologist and try to change how you react to stress, so that in future you can come out of it with fewer consequences
In some cases you can use anti-anxiety, “relaxing” remedies: medications (chosen by a general practitioner, neurologist or psychiatrist) or natural ones (discuss using them with a specialist).
