Mental Health Meds and Libido

Let’s say it plainly: your mental health matters. If you’re taking medication to manage depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, OCD, or anything else, you’re doing something brave and necessary.

But here’s the thing you might not know: those same medications can mess with your sex drive.

Maybe sex feels like an afterthought now. Maybe your body doesn’t respond the way it used to. Maybe desire just, isn’t showing up at all. You might even wonder, Is this me, or the meds? Or both?

You’re not imagining it. And you’re definitely not alone.

Let’s talk about what’s happening, why it matters, and what options you have.

Is This a Common Side Effect?

Yes. It’s very common.

Certain types of mental health medication can affect libido, arousal, and even the ability to orgasm. These changes aren’t just “in your head”, they’re linked to the way the medication interacts with brain chemistry, especially serotonin and dopamine.

The usual medications:

• SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) – like sertraline, fluoxetine (Prozac), citalopram

• SNRIs (Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors) – like venlafaxine, duloxetine

• Tricyclic antidepressants – older class, still used sometimes

• Mood stabilisers or antipsychotics – can also affect hormones and libido

Not everyone will experience these side effects, but many do, and few are warned ahead of time.

What Might Change?

• Lower libido – Sex just isn’t on your mind the way it used to be

• Delayed or absent orgasm – You might feel aroused but not reach climax, no matter how long you try

• Erectile or arousal issues – Physical responses (like lubrication or erections) may feel weaker or slower

• Emotional detachment from sex – You might go through the motions, but feel disconnected

Some people also feel a more subtle shift, a kind of emotional flattening that dampens not just desire, but joy, creativity, and connection. That doesn’t mean you’re ungrateful or broken. It means something might need adjusting.

Additional Reading: How Hormones Affect Your Period and Mood

“But I Need These Meds. Am I Just Stuck With This?”

No, and here’s where we shift the narrative.

Managing mental health and maintaining a fulfilling sex life are not mutually exclusive goals. You don’t have to choose between feeling mentally stable and feeling sexually alive. It might take time, advocacy, and a bit of trial and error, but you do have options.

What Can Help?

1. Talk to your doctor (without embarrassment)

Bring it up. If it feels awkward, that’s okay, say that, too. A simple, honest start might be:

“I’ve noticed my sex drive has changed since starting this medication. I’d like to discuss what options I have.”

GPs and psychiatrists hear this more often than you think. 

2. Review your medication

Sometimes, switching to a different antidepressant or adjusting the dose can help. For example, bupropion (Wellbutrin) is often used as an alternative or add-on because it typically has fewer sexual side effects.

Some people also try:

• Dose timing tweaks

• Drug “holidays” (though this must be supervised, don’t attempt it solo)

• Adjunct medications that offset sexual side effects

3. Reframe pleasure and intimacy

Even if libido isn’t roaring, pleasure isn’t gone forever. It might just look or feel different right now.

• Explore non-sexual forms of intimacy (touch, massage, cuddling)

• Use toys or solo exploration to reconnect with your body, at your own pace

• Give yourself permission to be curious, not performative

Desire is rarely spontaneous when mental health is involved. That doesn’t make it less valid, it just means it may need coaxing, patience, and a little creativity.

4. Therapy helps (especially if shame is involved)

If you’re grieving a part of yourself that feels like it’s gone missing, or if you’re struggling to feel connected in your relationship, that’s valid.

Sex therapists and psychosexual counselors can help bridge the gap between the brain and body. So can trauma-informed talk therapy, especially if your relationship with sex was complicated before medication.

You Deserve Both

You don’t have to choose between feeling stable and feeling sexual. You’re allowed to want both.

And no, it’s not shallow or selfish to care about this part of your life. Pleasure, intimacy, connection, these are part of being human. They matter just as much as your mood score or sleep quality.