Assessment of Sexual Dysfunction in Female Patients with Major Depressive Disorder

Abstract

exual satisfaction is a relevant component of human sexuality that is considered to be the last stage of the sexual response cycle. The psychiatric conditions mostly studied as sexual correlates are the common mental disorders such as depression, anxiety disorders, and substance use disorders. Sexual dysfunction and major depressive disorder (MDD) appear to have a bidirectional relationship with sexual dysfunction increasing the risk of depression, and depression and its treatment frequently being cited as causes of sexual dysfunction. Decreased libido disproportionately affects patients with depression. The relationship between depression and decreased libido may be blurred, but treating one condition frequently improves the other. Frequently, patients do not volunteer problems related to sexuality, and physicians rarely ask about such problems. Asking a depressed patient about libido and sexual function and trying to increase it can significantly improve the quality of the patient's life. Patients have difficulty discussing sexual dysfunction (decreased libido and anorgasmia) and acknowledging decreased libido may be particularly difficult. Successful management of the complex interrelationship between sexual dysfunction and depression is needed to