Post-Sex Depression: Have You Heard of This Problem?
The problem is more common among women, but it can also affect some men.
Sex provides several health benefits, such as reducing stress and anxiety, brings happiness, improves the appearance of the skin, relieves cramps and PMS, increases immunity, helps burn calories and even reduces the risk of a heart attack. But not everything is perfect. Have you ever heard of post-sex depression (also called post-coital dysphoria)?
Many women and some men may experience depression, a feeling of emptiness, anxiety, aggression towards their partners and even crying after the act itself. And that's not "coolness"... Queensland University of Technology, Australia, did a study of negative symptoms based on online responses from 230 women. Exactly 46% of them reported having already experienced some of the symptoms at some point in their lives after sexual intercourse.
What is the cause?
It's still unclear what post-sex depression is related to, but researchers have evidence that it's linked to the brain and the chemicals it releases during or after intercourse. After orgasm, the brain releases serotonin and endorphins, linked to the sensation of pleasure - the hypothesis is that the excess of these substances can promote the opposite effect when the positive effects end, causing dysphoria. Other studies show that the excess of the hormone prolactin can also trigger negative feelings. There are also studies that relate behavior to evolutionary issues.
But the social influence of post-sex depression cannot be diminished either. Factors such as very strict family education, family and cultural contexts and the religion followed by the individual can have a significant weight, as some people feel guilt or frustration after sex due to moral pressures arising from the aforementioned influences. Psychological factors also need to be taken into account, such as past sexual abuse, insecurities, neurochemical and hormonal imbalances, and even a negative assessment of one's own performance in bed.
How to treat?
Talk to your partner about how you feel to make it easier to get over the problem. Friends can help with this too. Another tip is to get to know your own body (touch yourself and discover your feelings and emotions - if something ails you, stop and try to understand why). When having sex with your partner, try to forget about the other problems in life... Focus on the moment!
Consulting an expert is also recommended. See a doctor or doctor and tell them what is going on. Thus, it will be possible to know if the problems are emotional, hormonal or both.
