Agitation And Lack Of Sex Drive And Depression

Agitation and lack of sex drive and depression are closely related, with one often affecting the other. In fact, one of the signs of major depression is a lack of sex drive, according to the Mayo Clinic. Agitation, or anxiety, also commonly occurs with depression and can further affect libido.

Depression

Depressed individuals experience both emotional and physical symptoms. Sadness, irritability, a loss of interest in activities and changes in sleeping patterns often occur in addition to fatigue, increased anxiety and physical pain in the back or other areas of the body. Taken together, these symptoms frequently cause a lack of sex drive. In fact, depression is, "the most likely treatable cause of loss of sex drive" in men, according to the Mayo Clinic. Biological conditions thought to play a role in depression include changes in hormonal balance and malfunctions within the brain and its neurotransmitters. A lack of sex drive often arises from these same physical problems, making agitation and lack of sex drive and depression more likely to occur as a cluster.

1. Agitation Some people with depression experience agitation or anxiety as one of its symptoms. Additionally, anxiety disorders are sometimes mistaken for depression by individuals experiencing the symptoms. Agitation which doesn't reach the threshold of a diagnosable anxiety disorder still causes problems with a lack of sex drive in some people since agitation keeps people from relaxing and enjoying the moment. Stress causes increased cortisol levels in the body, lowering both the desire and ability to enjoy sex.
2. Lack of Sex Drive In some cases, agitation and lack of sex drive and depression originate from the lowered libido of an individual. Sex is an important component in people's lives and relationships, so it is natural for problems in this area to cause secondary issues with depression, anxiety, stress and more. The best action to take is to consult a physician to determine the cause underlying the lack of sex drive. Men, especially those 40 years of age or older, sometimes experience agitation and a lack of sex drive and depression because of testosterone levels which naturally begin falling during this time, according to Baylor College of Medicine. Testosterone replacement therapy increases the levels of this hormone in the body and has been used successfully to treat these symptoms.

References

Mayo Clinic: Depression

Baylor College of Medicine