Depression impact on the sexual desire

IntroductionDepression as a pathology and the side effects of pharmacology therapy have been pointed proven to be as responsible for the lack of sexual desire. Among the drugs used in the treatment of depression, anti-depressives are the ones mostly connected to sexual dysfunction.Aims /objectivesTo study the relationship between depression and its impact on the sexual desire in psychiatric patients.MethodsThe chosen sample is composed of 89 subjects, 73 females and 16 males, with ages ranging from 21 to 70 years, who present with depressive symptomatology (mild to moderate symptomatology (MMS) and severe symptomatology (SS).To each patient 3 instruments were applied: 1)Questionnaire used to collect demographic and clinical data from the sample;2)Instrument of estimation of the depression degree (BDI - Beck Depression Inventory);3)Instrument of valuation of the sexual desire (SDS - Sexual Desire Scale).ResultsDepression average value obtained with BDI was 25.58 (SD = 11.86). The majority was satisfied with their marital relationship (72.7% and 52.9%, respectively), and the group with most sexual damaged (actual sexual performance regarding sexual desire) being the one with severe depression (54.5% versus 82.4%, respectively). Regarding total SDS value, the group with MMD present with higher levels of sexual desire (M = 54.93; DP = 14.56) than the group with SD (M = 41.82; DP = 11.86).ConclusionsThis study presents an exploratory character and the obtained results revealed that depressive symptomatology severity is directly related with sexual desire, by saying the higher the depression's severity is the lower sexual desire will be.