SSRIs are a class of drugs that some doctors prescribe to patients suffering from premature ejaculation with promising results. Could SSRIs be the “magic bullet” that sufferers have long been waiting for?
SSRIs, or “selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors”, are a modern class of antidepressant drugs that are widely consumed and amongst the most prescribed drugs in the world. Although they are used mainly for people suffering from depression, they have also been used to treat PE.
Link Between PE & Depression
If you have premature ejaculation then it certainly does not mean that you are depressed. But there is a connection between the two. In both illnesses, there is usually a problem of anxiety and in premature ejaculation, this anxiety gives rise to early ejaculation.
A few years ago, doctors started to hear about their depression patients taking SSRIs complaining of delayed ejaculation and thought – maybe we can use this for our other patients with PE?
What Is Prescribed?
SSRIs are a family of drugs that are all very similar but each one has it’s different nuances. This is the reason why many patients taking SSRIs will chop and change their dosage to see which one is best for them.
When it comes to premature ejaculation, the most commonly prescribed one is Paxil. This is also known as Seroxat depending on where you live. Paxil has been tested in studies and shown to give the biggest improvement to delay time during vaginal sex, around 6-12 times better than before. However, this is only the case when you have been taking it for a few weeks – if you pop a pill a few hours before sex like you might with an erectile dysfunction drug like Viagra or applying a spray, then you’ll only get about 50% longer in the sack.
If you are looking for convenience, then other antidepressants like Anafranil (clomipramine) might be better for you. These aren’t SSRIs but part of the older family of antidepressants called “tricyclics”.
How Does An Antidepressant Make You Last Longer?
Antidepressants make you last longer because they help to get rid of your performance anxiety. This is when you are so focussed or worried about how long you will last that this worrying actually does make you worse. And the worse you perform, the more worried you get in this vicious circle.
These drugs break that circle because they make you “care less”. So when you hop into bed, you are no longer worried at all about your performance. As a result, you will last much longer in bed.
Is It All Good?
Antidepressants seem to work for most people who take them, especially Paxil. But there are downsides too.
The first issue is that if you decide to take SSRIs, it’s a bit like taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut. You are taking powerful mood altering medication to cure your premature ejaculation. If you are not suffering especially from anxiety or depression anyway, then taking these drugs just to cure your PE may be overkill. Is this something that you really want to do?
The other issue is that antidepressant drugs have controversial side effects. All SSRIs have side effects, the worst of which could include suicidal fantasies. SSRIs also have powerful withdrawal symptoms when you come off them. In fact, Paxil is alleged to be the worst offender in this respect, with many patients reporting electrical shock sensations when coming off these drugs.
Conclusion
SSRIs are a powerful way to treat premature ejaculation and are highly successful in doing so. They go much deeper than creams and ointments in addressing the causes of PE but we should remember that antidepressants are mood altering drugs. Personally, I would not take such drugs to combat PE but you should do your own risk assessment and you might find these drugs to be valuable.
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