{
  "id": 1515997,
  "title": "Early antidepressant use is linked to higher levels of sexual boredom",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/early-antidepressant-use-is-linked-to-higher-levels-of-sexual-boredom",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-17T16:00:47.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "PsyPost",
    "slug": "psypost",
    "url": "https://www.psypost.org/early-antidepressant-use-is-linked-to-higher-levels-of-sexual-boredom/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Recent studies reveal a connection between early use of common antidepressants and a heightened sense of boredom, both in general life and sexual relationships. This side effect may impact a patient's decision to continue their treatment. Published in the journal Psychological Reports, the research was conducted by Juliana Riccardi and her team at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center and the New School for Social Research. Boredom, a psychological state characterized by a desire for engaging activities, can manifest as either state boredom (temporary dissatisfaction) or trait boredom (a person's general disposition toward feeling bored). Both forms of boredom are linked to negative mental health outcomes such as depression, anxiety, and impulsivity. Sexual boredom specifically refers to dissatisfaction with the routine aspects of one's sex life, distinct from sexual dysfunction. Past research has associated high levels of sexual boredom with hypersexuality, excessive pornography use, and overall life dissatisfaction. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), the most commonly prescribed antidepressant class, are known to cause sexual dysfunction side effects in a significant portion of users. To investigate the relationship between antidepressant use and boredom, the researchers recruited 251 adult participants in the United States, with 50 reporting SSRIs use and 201 not on antidepressants. Participants completed questionnaires measuring psychological well-being, including the Boredom Proneness Scale for trait boredom, the State Boredom Measure for immediate boredom, the Sexual Boredom Scale for sexual boredom, and the Beck Depression Inventory for depressive symptoms. Short-term SSRI users (six weeks to two years) reported higher state, trait, and sexual boredom levels compared to non-users. Long-term SSRI users (over two years) did not show statistically significant differences from non-users. After adjusting for depressive symptom severity, short-term SSRI users still reported higher state and sexual boredom than non-users. The findings suggest that these boredom symptoms emerge during the first two years of SSRI treatment, potentially influencing patients' decisions to continue or discontinue their medication.",
  "summary": "People using common antidepressants for up to two years report higher levels of general and sexual boredom than non-users. This hidden side effect could explain why some patients struggle to stick with their mental health treatments over time.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}