Love and Lexapro
graphic by sophie sternkopf
Sex, drugs, and clinical depression: This is college, baby. Whether you’re rocking with an SSRI/Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (Prozac, Lexapro, Paxil, Zoloft, etc.) or the slightly more indie and underground SNRI/Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (Cymbalta & co.), you or someone you know is likely grooving with brain chemical playtime. A study from The Healthy Minds in 2019 found that 15% of all college students nationwide regularly take antidepressants. If you factor in people who have started taking them as we burrowed deeper into the pandemic, that’s a lot of fucking college students. This brings me to my first point: fucking.
For many people, SSRIs have significantly decreased their interest in sex. To put it simply, they’re not as horny as they would be if the meds weren’t in the picture. One person who we spoke to has had the fascinating experience of their antidepressant making them insanely horny, but they also noted that this could be the combination of their SSRI and their prescribed Adderall. Another individual told us that her sex drive has taken a serious blow from her medication (no pun intended), but because of her fear of hookups in the pandemic, she’s not too mad about it. She is, however, concerned that it might never fully return, and that shit’s scary.
Sex is awesome and nothing says evil irony like the pill you take to make you happy taking the joy out of one of the simplest human rituals of intimacy. College is a perfect time for experimenting, figuring out what you like, and fucking as many people as you want. But this side effect really takes that choice in your own sex life away from you. If you decide to drink these sorrows away, however, you’ll experience a double-edged sword.
Drinking alcohol while on antidepressants is financially awesome. One drink for a boring, unmedicated person equals the effect of two drinks for a Zoloft zaddy. This is quick and convenient and, at a glance, kind of sick, but it’s also very dangerous. If someone on antidepressants is trying to match drinks or keep up with someone who isn’t poppin’ Prozac, they will experience double the impact and get drunk significantly faster, leading to blackouts, upset tummies, and potentially some real consequences. Keep an eye on your medicated friend the next time they’re chugging and always remember that it’s better to be a nag than to have your friend get their stomach pumped at Crouse.
As Andy Milonakis once said, “pussy, pussy, pussy, marijuana.” We know that the pussy part of that is different for everyone when you throw antidepressants into the mix, so let’s gab about marijuana. For one student, their antidepressant has revolutionized their weed experience for the better. She has found that her anxious nature hasn’t allowed her to enjoy getting high in the past, so her pill-popping has dampened that anxiety and paranoia and allowed her to become a regular smoker who consistently enjoys a peaceful, silly high. Others have found their highs completely unaffected by their meds.
Some medical professionals recommend dialing back cannabis use when on antidepressants. This is not because of potential adverse side effects, but because it makes it difficult to identify what the meds are doing if you’re regularly consuming two mood-altering substances. At the end of the day, people’s bodies handle substances differently and your primary concern shouldn’t be the verdict of a medical journal (or this article, obvi) but what feels safe and comfortable for you.
Sending love to our depressed bitches, let’s play around and see what feels good this Spring!