Question from a reader who has bipolar disorder. He asks if it affects sexual desire:
I have had bipolar disorder for five years and now I’m seeing that I don’t have the push to have sex with women. I did for the past few years but over the past year, my drive is down. I am currently 24 years old.
the medication you are taking for the Bipolar disorder is probably causing the low sex drive and not the disorder itself
Absolutely.
Low libido is a hallmark symptom of the depressive phase of bipolar disorder.
~Dr. B.~
Well, if you are on medication for bipolar disorder those can definitely affect your sex drive.
all psychological disorders affect one's desire to have sex to different extents. it depends on how severe the disorder is….but I don't think you've reached the phase where you no longer think about sex, since you've thought of asking this question. if the urge to have sex is 'dead' then you wouldn't even bother about it, let alone ask questions here. good luck
Well, it depends on the medication you are on. It is a side effect of many anxiety or depression medications, to have decreased desire for sex. Even increased sometimes. I have bipolar disorder also but have not had this problem. Lately my drive is down but I'm also 8 months pregnant now =P I personally do not believe it is the bipolar disorder itself. I'd have to hear more about you but based on the information given… this is my reply. When you are manic, the usual response is an increased sex drive. If you are medicated and stable, it is common to have a decreased sex drive. Google it if you wish.
i think you might be homosexual. try men
yes. I suppose it can. I know that if your partner is depressed or bipolar, it can kill your sex drive too.
It probably plays a part of it.
If you're on medication for your disorder (Wellbutrin, etc) that can really have an effect on your sex drive.
Then again, some people just don't view sex as important.
I have Bipolar disorder…It is normal to have very little desire to hypersexual tendencies when you're Bipolar. I basically see it (when the urge is gone) as a time to focus on other things (Art,Music,etc.). But if you could trace back the trigger that caused the lack of sexual desire…You could perhaps attain a better understanding and not be so hindered by it anymore. With me, it was my fear of getting a woman pregnant …I'm responsible when it comes to sex but still, my fear got so bad that I wasn't even enjoying myself anymore….But when I moved to France that fear was gone! Here there isn't that mass aura of desperarion that I experienced in the U.S. So basically, I was just petrified to have a child in the U.S. because I never believed that the government cared about working families…That and with the lack of mental health coverage (and being Bipolar), I know I would not have survived long…J'admire le Francais! L'Amerique devrait apprendre le forme leur humanite, La France he devrait jamais considerer leus avantages comme allant se soi.
Cheers!