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Reader Feedback on "Sex or Serotonin?"

Hey, i just want to get back in touch with Alyssa if she would like to do likewise. This might not be the best way to reach her, but I thought I would at least try. -Mitchell
--MEH
09/28

My sex drive is dead, problem is it was very much alive before taking zoloft for 3 months, it's been 2 years now since my last zoloft tablet, going back before zoloft i did have a problem with sexual fantasty, every time I saw a beautiful female body I found it very hard to not want & not to keep looking at, to the extent of causing problems. Only one day after taking zoloft this problem went along with my sex drive. Now 2 years on I can get an erection & orgasm , but no Feeling.
--TRG
12/21

Dear Writer, I suffered from anxiety attacks after I was diagnosed with Breats Cancer at the age of 39. It took me 6 Psychologists to finally find someone that daignosed panic attacks. I started on Sinequan (tri-cyclic), low low dose, vission was tripled for a week, but sex was good, even had fantasy dreams. I went off this med. after several years as it does effect your kidneys and possible cancer from low doses, and of course your vission to some extent even though not as pronounced over time. ***I tried a few of the SSRIs but always felt irritated. I have been on low dose of Buspar for two years for chronic pain and the mild attacks. I am 46 and find my sex drive and orgasms to be just fine for my age. I have always enjoyed sex and still do. Try it..It can also be used in conjunction with other anti-dpressants but because it enhances their effects, you can reduce the level of the other drug considrably....good luck Dr. E
--EH
06/13

Thank you so very much for that article. I am now off Welbutrin, as of tonight. This is the first time in two years I have an answer to what is wrong with my libido..it has gone off the scale. I went from being a cute sex kitten to a man-eating lioness who can no longer acheive orgasms. I am a wreck. I'm in a constant state of 'near orgasm pulsing'. It has been a miserable two years. My boyfriend won't come near me, we slept together twice this year, neither time in Canada..boy were they fun fun vacations!&%$ and we're near the end of the relationship rope. Depression ain't ever going to this bad. I have been on anti's for almost ten years and know about loss of libido. Right now I'm looking at sex counselling and/or seperation and it's because of PILLS??? Dose you ask? 100mg. a day. My boyfriend will be reading all this tomorrow. I will be looking for a target. Again, thanks, you made my year!
--TO'R
03/19

FYI
--MLS
08/26

I read your article with your interest as I am taking Serzone for my depression and am doing very well now. You mentioned you did not have a good sexual response to Serzone I initially took Zoloft and I had all the sexual dysfunction you metion but it was doing nothing for my depression and I wasn't sleeping well. When I switched to Serzone my sleep immediately improved and my sexual function returned. I was pretty much back to my normal self which was great since I didn't want to have to explain to a potential partner why I couldn't seem to come. If anyone else is taking Serzone I'd like to hear your experiences.
--Rt
05/03

I'm a male who is currently taking 20 mill.of Prozac daily along with 1000 mill.of Depakote.When I first started medication I was taking Serzone (150 mill.daily,I think.)I had no problems with erections or orgasm.I had to switch to Zoloft which I found to be very hard on(N.P.I.)anything sexual.The low dose of Prozac with the depakote doesn't seem to inhabit my sex life too much.It (SSRIs)seems to at first but then kind of receeds.I think you hit a good point with the reference to low serotonin levels and increased sexual activity.Depression and increased sexual activity kind of go hand in hand(as well as manic episodes.)I enjoyed your article .
--T.N.
10/13

I have tried virtually every antidepressant on the market, and several that weren't even approved yet. Until I tried buproprion, aka Zyban or Wellbutrin, I got all of the sexual side effects and no relief from my depression. My depression lifted for the first time in years and my sexual function was restored to normal. I had a new lease on life. Buproprion is still relatively new. Many insurance plans won't cover it because, they argue, there are cheaper treatments available to do the same thing. I would encourage anyone who needs antidepressants, but is reluctant forego a healthy sex life, to ask his/her doctor about this drug.
--LB
09/12

Dear Alyssa, Thanks for writing this article and sharing your own experiences with Zoloft's effects on your libido. As it happens, I've been on Zoloft for about six months now, and have been wondering whether the drug could be affecting my desire--which seems to have just about disappeared. Being in menopause, I was attributing this physical lowered sexuality to hormones. It's highly instructive to read that this is probably not the case--and it's extremely hopeful to read that people can (and do) regain their libidos once off the drug. On the other hand, a pitch for lessened sexual desire: In these six months, when I've felt as interested in sex as a spayed cat, I've broken my lifelong habit of connecting with a potential partner on the sexual level first--and often foremost, quite often "only." That is, because my libido was leaving me alone, for a change, and also because I wasn't into my usual depressive withdrawal from society, I began to date in that much-touted "friends first" way--something that held no realistic appeal for me, in times past. But not craving sex, not even being very interested in it, I was emotionally open to a man who didn't turn me on, in the "chemistry" department--in short, open to a genuinely decent, sweet, loving and affectionate man's attentions. For once in my life, I feel loved and valued "as a person," as they say, and not because there's great sex. For once, I value and love a man for his qualities outside the bedroom, which is an utterly new experience for me. But now that he and I are close, I'd sure like to be my old responsive self again. Seems that having a high sex drive interferes with my ability to relate, perhaps more than depression. And this realization is awful. My "self" sans sexual desire is not the self I've known at all. This Zolofted self is far more contented, more even-tempered, more easygoing. Who the hell AM I now? I'm willing to risk finding out by dropping the drug. If I'm as happy as I keep telling myself I am, depression may not be so difficult to handle without this drug; possibly I won't be depressed...Never know unless you try. All in all, I agree with you--mixed blessings here. It helped my entire life to be free of sexual desire, I must admit, yet I sincerely hope that love of the contented variety doesn't depend on my sexlessness. If that's the case, then I'll be re-examining this friendshippy, contented love theory going around. Hope these posts continue, for it looks like some of us are going to return to our libidos soon. The best outcome, of course, would be Zoloft having helped me overcome a somewhat compulsive/impulsive sexuality that overwhelmed me and negatively influenced my choice of partners--but once discontinued, I'd find myself strongly orgasmic and desirous again...only with this great guy who's not merely a sexual adventurer (as I've been, at times). Cross fingers. What a dastardly paradox these SSRIs present us with: Happy sexlessness has its points, but like you, I want my full self back. In what other ways has Zoloft affected my being, I wonder...
--CK
09/07

Dear Alyssa: I recently switched from Zoloft to Celexa, which is touted by it's manufacturer, Forest Pharmaceuticals, to have less of an anti-libidinous effect than the other SSRI's. The jury is still out. However, what has worked for me in restoring my long lost libido is this: 2% testosterone cream. Prescribed by my ob/gyn, this has to be specially compounded by a pharmacy which does such. I send my prescriptions off to Madison, Wisconsin to "Womens International Pharmacy." I highly recommend this antidote. It works. The only catch is that you have to apply the cream to thighs, abdomen, or breasts twice a day. (No, applying it to your clit or labia does not boost it's effectiveness). And, shazzam, so far no beard or baritone voice ma. Good luck...
--srb
08/14

Don't assume that because you need Zoloft for a time, or even because you like Zoloft, that you have to be on it for the rest of your life. Somewhat against my will my doctor weaned me from the drug, which really did help me in my social life, but now -- although I still miss it at times — I don't need it the way I once did. And the sex is a lot better without it. One of your correspondents mentioned the emptiness, the asexuality of that drug. Exactly. You can live without it. Just as you can live without the Pill. Just because everyone else is doing it doesn't mean you have to as well. And you'll respect yourself in the morning, or the next year, or whenever this particular fad has faded.
--KS
02/04

Today is my first time to hit Nerve with advice from a close friend following a conversation we had about sex and sexuality. I can't thank him enough for the introduction. I have spent the last four hours scrolling through the wonderful photography and literature on your Web Site. I can only say it has had a profound effect on me. I was particularly interested in your article on Sex and Serotonin, which I think is written such intelligence, eloquence and sensitivity, as to inspire me to respond herewith. I identified almost exactly with your set of circumstances leading up to your decision to "take my chances in the Pharmaceutical realm" and with your reasoning throughout the article and including the perspective and control your conclusion offers. Consequently, I am really tempted to take my chances in the pharmaceutical realm, but I would like to know more about the effects, dosage and availability of Zoloft or any SSRI equivalent. For quite some time now I have been searching for a new mind set, realizing that I have really fucked-up ideas about sex and relationships in general which were molded by a turbulent youth of physical, psychological and sexual abuse which wasn't helped by my subsequent and predictable marriage failure. I have been afraid of becoming dependent on artificial/medical means, as recommended by a previous psychiatrist, to help me find equanimity, preferring instead to allow the passage of time and the power of reason to achieve this end. I am happy to say that time and reason have worked well for me, reducing my dependence on alcohol, I am holding down a responsible job and I have a salutary relationship with my family, ex-wife, my now-grown-up children and with people in general, but still have quite a bit to go sexually. As I am 50 years old now, but still good looking and in good shape, I would like to give time and reason a gentle hand (SSRI) in negotiating the last hurdle. I would like to leave behind the "craving for impulsive sex" and discover the real joys of sexuality and intimate relationships that I have rarely had. I want "to keep my balance on this shifting sexual terrain" so I intend to keep in touch with Nerve and will gladly share my past, present and future experiences and perspective with you if you wish. So far this afternoon I have also read and enjoyed Jack Murnighan, Deb Margolin and Judith Levine -- wonderful!
--SB
01/29

I found your article interesting because I had some bizarre side-effects with Zoloft. After the third week, I began to take an increased interest in sex. It gradually worsened to the point where I simply could not study, as I was preoccupied with sex. Not being the type to aggressively hunt out partners and having no one to turn to, I resorted to reading erotica online. But that too was unsatisfying, so I ended up writing it. Throughout this, I had incredible difficulty achieving orgasm. I was in a state of hyper-arousal, both mentally and physically, but I simply could not get release. Through writing I was able to find some relief, but the effect on my studies was disastrous. In the end, I had to stop the medication. I am aware that my experience is uncommon. Most people do report a decreased libido. But be aware that some experience the opposite effect. And let me tell you, it is much worse!
--PC
01/08

Just wanted to let you know how much I've enjoyed your site this morning. Saw your "Smut for Chicks" ad in Bust magazine and was titillated by the pic. Also loved the article by Alyssa Katz on Anti-Sex Zoloft. I've had exactly the same experience, but with a little help from your site I think something might wake up again. Thanks!
--SF
08/09

Interesting article. Did you ever consider no drugs at all? For some people there are other ways to work on depression, ways that take more time and effort but yield permanent results with no side effects. Maybe you could find a psychiatrist willing to monitor you as you research and nurture your own self-growth without medication. I did. Been there and returned a saner person. C
--.H.
08/05

My doc put me on Zoloft to combat my headaches. I was never told of the sexual side effects of the drug. As a lawyer, I am so mad I want to sue, but as a human being I feel like we need to publish the "desexing" of America. Thanks for your article and keep up the great work.
--DS
07/30

Although I've wondered since going off Prozac if I was really all that depressed anyways, I've paid a lot of attention to other peoples' stories and opinions on psych meds. I've decided that one can never tell which side of the fence is better, as either one gives an entirely influenced view. We cannot be unbiased. Since the return of my sex drive, though, I have sworn that no amount of chemical happiness can compensate for a loss of my sexual identity. I don't know, and wouldn't presume to imagine whether your problems are severe enough to warrant such a loss, but I do think not nearly enough people are willing to slug it out and experience real passions, fears, problems, insecurities. If I'm willing to end a relationship with another human because the sex just isn't satisfying despite knowledge and communication (which I totally am; most people are), then how can I justify lack of sexuality in exchange for flatline feelings? That's like marrying for money, not love. I just think all of us have gotten way too comfortable with escapism. Hey, guys, it isn't that bad out here in the land of rampant emotions -- you just can't take things as seriously. And the sex is great.
--DP
07/05

Great writing, Alyssa, and great 'zine, folks! Despite being on Effexor for two+ years, I have no libido problem here, just nothing to do about it! My experience, contrary to the author's, is no partner, so why bother trying? Still want it bad but got no place to take it. Masturbatory fantasies are strong as ever; I'm just bored, bored, bored of the same old thing. Did the Zoloft thing for over three years, same effect. Just got the right kind of mind, I guess. Wish I felt "elevated" from the antidepressants, but mostly just feel okay. And that's okay with me, raised from the depths of clinical depression I've had since childhood. THANK GOODNESS FOR PHARMACEUTICALS! (and if I had a partner, I'd gladly forgo the sex for the ability to feel life again!
--JD
06/25

I've just had my first experience darting about on your site. It struck me a little like the long ago summer of 1961 when I was working in a neurochemistry lab and my boss loaned me a copy of Miller's Tropic of Cancer. The possibilities are still there. I've also exchanged my libido for the desire to get out of bed each day thanks to Zoloft, and was very pleased by the article about this.
--LS
06/10

My own experinece, as well as many others, is an increased sexual drive with the dopamine inhibitor GHB. While on this drug, my erections are more frequent and I can come without even thinking of sex. If I were to think of anything that I liked -- going swimming, eating lasange, or any other simple pleasure -- I would get an erection. This contradicts the statement made in your article that dopamine inhibitors reduce your sex drive, but all drugs react differently with different people.
--XD
05/17

The effects on the libido of SSRIs and non-specific SRIs is certainly well documented, and it's nice to have the experience so well expressed from the client side of things! I've been on venlafaxine (brand name Effexor) for a year. While it works quite well for what it was prescribed, I've experienced an inability to acheive orgasm because of reduced sensation. After trying many "folk" remedies (yohimbe, damiana, ginseng, etc.) I was prescribed buproprion (aka Wellbutrin) to combat this side effect. Many people may be against adding another pharmaceutical to their regimen, but I found that this drug worked very well for me. Buproprion is known for its pleasure-enhancing qualities and it certainly is true with sex. Since taking it I've had a better sex life than I ever had before.
--TG
05/09

Thank you for the first magazine article (that I have read) on this subject. I thought something was wrong with me, even though I knew the effects of Zoloft. I've been thinking I'm over the hill and I'm only 40! Thank you for a super magazine!
--KAH
05/03

I found Alyssa Katz' piece on antidepressants insightful and somewhat poignant. Over the past few years I've been around and around with various anti-D's -- a pretty long stint with Zoloft (two or three years, on and off), a few months with Depakote, and now, for over a year, Wellbutrin. ; Historically, my ability to orgasm was apparently non-existent, although I relished great sex, and didn't even realize that I wasn't having orgasms. Really! I didn't! Well, after a nine-year marriage with really bad sex, I finally realized that I deserved happiness in my life in ALL areas, not just sex. Not too long after the divorce, I started taking Wellbutrin, and I'll be darned . . . discovered the Holy Grail!!! I'm still learning the ways of my body (at thirty-seven years old), and am more stable and confident than ever in my life. ; I think that there are probably far too many people taking drugs to mend things that may be able to be mended in other ways and maybe I'm one of them, but I know that my life was a mess from the time I was about four years old, and just never could quite pull myself out of the abyss. My salvation all along was realizing that there was such a thing as an abyss, even at four years old. ; I don't talk about my pharmaceutical diet much. Haven't quite come to terms with it, but am sharing my experience with you because you have a "feedback" icon at the bottom of your page.
--MB
04/30

Just wanted to say what a great article this is. I have been on Prozac for six months and am having to come to terms with a reduced libido, but generally feeling much happier. It's comforting to know I'm not alone in this dilemma. A beautifully designed site, by the way.
--AC
04/26

Oh god, someone has finally written comprehensively and honestly about the loss of female pleasure with Zoloft . . . I feel sometimes as if I am in an Arabic country with a chemical clitorectomy. Is this all a plot to keep women away from their hands? I am now trying gingko with a reduced dosage of Zoloft. I run, take vitamins, work and am a single mom . . . I am a superwoman who has lost those erotic dreams of some stranger in the woods talking her neanderthal-style. Last summer, I went off the Zoloft and went into the horniest stage of my life. I wanted to have sex all the time and thought about it while dealing with life and death issues as an RN in a critical care unit. Found a great lover who had too many hangups about women and their sexuality, wanting a prim, barely-conscious, frigid woman instead of the assertive, sexually-responsive me . . . I could have done it with the mailman! Then I fell into the depression of my life when that ended and went back on the drug . . . too bad for the jerk who came back eight months later; by then I was chemically neutered and had no interest in him at all. ; All I have to say is, Now fucking what!!! More drugs!!! I want my sexuality back damn it, but I want to be alive to enjoy it! I feel like we are all in a twelve-step program and are admitting we are powerless over the pharmaceutical companies. There must be another option. Please keep writing about this!
--AK
04/24

Well, I must admit that after reading this article I felt quite disturbed and uneasy -- perhaps I should be medicated? The choice of chemical absolution from emotional purgatory is a very real and frightening one. I have tried to abstain from such dealings myself, but have seen many friends and associates take up a lifestyle of pharmaceutical-induced well being. Since the author is questioning her decision, my advice, worth what it cost, would be to give up the happy tablets. I was very interested to hear her description of sexual ennui. I suppose I could say that (pretentious as it is), because I have experienced similar reservations; all it took was a history of one-night stands for me to comprehend how meaningless human interaction could be. And becoming the woman you always heard about? Corpus Christi! I could tell you about these women you've heard about; they've been the main staple of my meager love life. Women who can't seem to achieve orgasm because they're inhibited, or they don't care, or they're concentrating more on my pleasure than their own. And what is the male conception of female orgasm? I can't speak for my gender, but what's going on with my lover seems much more interesting, intense, and intriguing than the "weak fluttering" of my own body. Since our experiences of sexuality are so similar, I would almost assume that SSRI was in my water supply, but then again, I'm living in an emotional purgatory, so somewhere I got cheated. The modern tendency to look for material solutions (i.e. fun with chemistry) seems quick and easy. I don't think I need to point out that life has refused to be quick and easy for some time. I'm sure the author is aware of the questions behind medicating yourself into an "eerie smile," but it is the need of humanity, at least this human, to point out that there is time for happiness and self discovery in a pharmaceuticals-free world. I'm not suggesting that anyone "hug a crystal for Christ," but there are things in this sprawling cosmos to take pleasure in and find strength from. Nobody's got more than a monopoly on misanthropy than I, but I couldn't imagine taking a drug that would increase the gap between me and a major aspect of humanity: sexuality.
--WP
04/23

What is most odd is that none of us, or almost none of us, will give up our drugs. Libido becomes something we once had. We miss the point of half the movies (and almost all the TV sitcoms). And we keep refilling the prescription. Ted Sturgeon, in one of his short stories, essentially suggested that sex isn't really all that important; if it were, we wouldn't need to be constantly reminded of it by books and TV and art and movies and advertising. I thought he was an idiot. I was very young. A lot of current medical literature suggests that almost everyone can profit from these drugs. They're happier, more effective, more affectionate . . . really and truly and, without irony or sarcasm, better in every way. Better hope the news doesn't get out; it would do little for your circulation.
--AK
04/19

I took Zoloft for about three months several years ago as an alternative to imipramine, one of the old anti-depressants. My experience with Zoloft was akin to an acid trip: lucid dreaming, physical electric shocks at three a.m., and a whole host of other very weird things I never expected from an anti-depressant. However, I was not prepared for my gelding. I lost all sexual function, including erections. This was very disturbing at first, and as time went on, became even further distressing -- to the point where depression seemed a viable alternative (and I was diagnosed with major depression -- the worst kind). In retrospect, this was an interesting lesson in one's own psychological makeup (putting aside the horrifying experience at the time). I discovered that sex and my own sexual function were a very important component to my life, and when it had gone, I was left with a very empty and very disturbed feeling. It wasn't something as simple as losing the pleasure opportunity -- it had more to do with the erasure of a part of my mind-state that I recognize as "me." It was so disturbing to me, I got off Zoloft and went back to imipramine and haven't looked back since. (Although, I do miss the electric shocks at three a.m.) Loved the article Alyssa!
--JP
04/19

"Sex or Serotonin" by Alyssa Katz is an outstanding, informative and useful article. In fact, so is your whole magazine! Bravi and thanks.
--JG
04/15

Good article. The first account I've seen that accurately conveys the experience of SSRIs, as opposed to the "smiley-badge zombie" stereotype so popular with the anti-pharmaceutical brigade on both sides of the Atlantic. Having taken them over several winters for serious Seasonal Affective Disorder, I can vouch for the effect being a kind of Apollonian kick, where you feel your rational calm side enhanced. You not only lose libido, but also don't register the loss except in a purely intellectual way. It's weird, but on balance, a good deal better than being falling-over depressed.
--RG
04/13

Been there myself. When you know that you are not going to be able to have a sane relationship because of your depression, a lowered sex drive is a good thing. I am better now, and I am glad to have my sex drive back. Good luck. (I recommend Good Mood by Julian Simon.)
--RP
04/11

This is a GREAT article. It really resonated with me and my libido. I have been on Zoloft for five years, and Katz described the effects to a tee. I know she's not faking it! While I miss the intensity of my former sex drive, I love the rationality and emotional stability that SSRI's bring. I had so much sex drive before, that now I would put myself on par with what people would think of as "normal." I think that I love better now, because my choices are better and I'm more sensitive overall. Zoloft has NOT affected my self-esteem in a negative way in terms of my sexuality -- in fact I feel sexier and more attractive because I am acting and feeling so much better. Where shame does come in is in terms of having a mental disease called depression. This makes me feel more inadequate than having my sex drive dropped a notch or two. Knowing that I might have to be on Zoloft for my lifetime really bums me out -- not because I might be sexually tepid -- but because it suggests that somehow I am genetically, inherently, irreversably flawed. The thought that I might be a "crazy person" turns me off. Another aspect to consider is the importance Americans place on sex, looks and power. In my opinion, there is too much emphasis on sex. We all know that everyone can fuck, everyone is sexy in their own way, and pretty much anyone can get laid. We all know that Sharon Stone's bush is blond. We have access to everyone's sex life, including graphic, streaming video on Internet sex sites. When you are on Zoloft, you suddenly realize what a disproportionately HUGE role sex plays in American culture. It's as if people are constantly trying to prove themselves, sexually. How did we get so insecure and desperate? Anyway, thanks for the article and the chance to respond.
--MB
04/11

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