As someone who used SSRI medication I quickly noticed that it had a big impact on the time&control over my ejaculation. I read about ssri and how they work, so I kind of understand what exactly happens in the brain when taking them. what I still can not really understand is why it makes people who have premature ejaculation last longer. how exactly is the serotonin connected to the sexual function?
Also here some sources (studies) to prove my statement, I once posted this question here before and people said its biased because it was my personal experience:
[source1](https://www.emjreviews.com/urology/article/the-role-of-selective-serotonin-reuptake-inhibitors-in-premature-ejaculation/)
[source2](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2374931/)
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So I don’t have a penis but I’m aware of the effects of SSRIs in general. Women also struggle with this, unfortunately. The feeling is like being right on the edge and never able to get over it.
A lot of the issues are psychological. But from some casual (potentially biased) reading there may be a feedback loop- too much serotonin resulting in an overstimulation of some neurotransmitter which causes another to be less effective.
Another theory is about the relationship with dopamine- which suggests more serotonin leads to less dopamine, the renowned “pleasure” chemical of the brain. If you’ve got less dopamine, your sex drive decreases and you’re less inclined to feel stimulated from things.
In your case, PE doesn’t need further stimulation, as the delay in ejaculation is likely a plus for your partner. It’s not always the case, and if you’re struggling, it may help to start with foreplay etc and compensate on the time it takes by mixing things around. Dopamine can also be increased by literally putting a smile on your face- gym, social interaction, yoga, meditation… All good ways to increase dopamine. But if you’re no longer struggling with PE it is probably a relief! Hope your relationship can grow stronger as a result and you can get more pleasure from the extended experience!
Sexual dysfunction from psychiatric medication is a common problem. It’s not exactly a “problem” if your starting issue is high sensitivity though. A lot of these drugs are thought to depress the parasympathetic nervous system, part of which controls libido and sexual function. Depressing that means you get less response, hence the lack of orgasm and lasting longer. You also get problems with digestion and all other functions though.
The idea that it has something to do with dopamine and serotonin are just theories, and recently it was disproved that depression has anything to do a lack of serotonin. We do not actually know what these drugs do to people’s brains, we are simply guessing. They actually only work in, at best, 30% of people. To be approved, they need only demonstrate that they “work” better than a placebo. Long term reviews show they don’t actually improve wellbeing for anything but the short term.
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