Antidepressants curb sex drive, patients say
Monday 26th October 2026 on 06:15 in
Sweden
Sexual side effects from antidepressants may affect hundreds of thousands of people in Sweden, while patients say they were not adequately warned or supported, SVT reports.
More than 1.26 million people in Sweden collected at least one antidepressant prescription in 2025. The medicines help many patients, but can also reduce sexual desire, dull sensation and make orgasm or ejaculation more difficult.
Amanda, 36, has taken antidepressants for 10 years and says her sex drive has changed considerably. “There is no drive any more,” she said in an SVT documentary. Another woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said she struggled to reach orgasm and had reduced sensation. “Masturbating was about as sensitive as sitting and poking your elbow,” she said.
Research and experts consulted by SVT indicate that around one-third to half of people treated with SSRI or SNRI antidepressants may experience sexual problems. Some studies report higher rates. Psychiatrist and associate professor Mikael Tiger said antidepressants can affect different kinds of motivation, including sex drive.
Several people told SVT that the medication had helped them but that its side effects affected their relationships and lives. One man said a lack of desire made relationships difficult after he took antidepressants for 11 years. A woman said she and her partner could not have sex during the years when they had hoped to have children, and that it was now too late for them to have children of their own.
Some patients said they had not been told about the possible side effects before starting treatment. Others described doctors as uninformed or surprised when they sought help. Psychiatrist Behroz Dehdari said doctors should provide better information, take patients’ concerns seriously and review treatment regularly. He noted that lost sex drive can have serious consequences, including for romantic relationships.
Antidepressants include several groups of medicines, such as SSRIs, SNRIs and older tricyclic antidepressants. SVT’s report focuses on sexual side effects associated with the medicines.