Psychiatric disorders and sexual dysfunctions

Sexual dysfunctions are highly prevalent among patients with psychiatric disorders. They may be caused by the psychopathology and pharmacotherapy of the psychiatric disorders. There are many researches that studing relations between sexual dysfunctions and psychiatric disorders. Results of these studies show that psychiatric disorders have important role in development of sexual dysfunctions. Positive (e.g., psychosis, hallucinations) and negative symptoms (e.g., anhedonia) of schizophrenia may negatively interfere with interpersonal and sexual relationships. Classic antipsychotics have more sexual side-effects than second generation antipsychotics. Depresion and mood disorders may affect libido, sexual arousal, orgasm, and erectile function. Antidepressant, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) cause sexual side-effects. Also anxiety disorders effect on sexual sysfunctions such as sexual desire disorder, erectile dysfunction and orgasm problems. Patients with eating disorders may suffer from sexual difficulties. Personality disorders, mainly borderline personality disorder, are also associated with sexual dysfunctions. Despite of this results, Research in this area suffers from substantial methodologic limitations that be considerd in future studies.