DRUG AND SEX PROBLEM

Drugs can affect sex in many ways, by both increasing or decreasing libido and sexual response and making sex more or less intense. They can also increase sexual risk-taking and change the way the body responds to sex.

Sometimes, the effects of drugs on sex change with time. Sex and sexuality are complex combinations of behavior and emotions — they both change physical states and rely on certain physical states.

When you have problems with sex, doctors call it “sexual dysfunction.” It happens in both men and women. Sexual problems become more common in men and women as they age. Other factors can cause it in younger people. Stress, illness, medicines, or emotional problems can contribute to sexual dysfunction. Talk to your doctor if it lasts longer than a few months. Tell your doctor if it interferes with your relationship with your partner. Anything you tell your doctor is private. Your doctor can diagnose the problem. He or she can treat it.



Women have five types of sexual problems:

• Desire disorders. No longer having an interest in sex. Having less of a desire than you used to have.
• Arousal disorders. You can’t feel a sexual response in your body. You can’t stay sexually aroused.
• Orgasmic disorders. You are unable to have an orgasm or you have pain during orgasm.
• Sexual pain disorders. When you experience pain during or after sex.
• Hormone deficiency: Reduced estrogen (the primary female hormone) can affect sexual desire.

Men have four types of sexual problems:

• Erectile dysfunction: Difficulty getting or keeping an erection.
• Desire disorders No longer having an interest in sex. Having less interest than you used to have.
• Problems with ejaculation: Premature ejaculation (too early) or delayed (taking longer than normal or not at all).
• Low testosterone: Reduced levels of the male hormone, testosterone.

Many things can cause problems in your sex life. This includes certain medicines (oral birth control and chemotherapy), diseases (diabetes or high blood pressure), excessive alcohol use or vaginal and urinary infections. Additional causes include depression, relationship problems, and abuse (current or past).

Some of the ways drugs may affect a person’s sex life include:

1. Libido: Drugs can alter a person’s libido. They may make someone want sex more often or less frequently. They could also have unpredictable effects on libido. This will depend on the person, the drug they are taking, and many other factors, such as drug dosage and frequency.
2. Physical arousal: Regardless of whether a person psychologically desires sex, drugs can affect physical arousal. For example, they can affect vaginal lubrication or lead to sexual dysfunction. One study even found that recreationally using an erectile dysfunction drug could cause a person to become dependent on the drug, leading to erectile dysfunction when they do not use it.
3. Orgasm and sexual pleasure: People often use drugs to increase pleasure and make it easier to orgasm during sex. However, some drugs may also make it more difficult to orgasm. Alcohol and opioids, for example, may delay ejaculation. A person may perceive this as positive or negative, depending on their sexual goals.
4. Sexual risk-taking: People may take more sexual risks when under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Some people may perceive this as positive when drugs decrease inhibitions or anxiety. However, in some cases, certain potentially harmful sexual behaviors can also lead to sexual assault, sexual abuse, and sexual practices that could lead to negative effects.