Unfortunately, dopamine is also responsible for the feelings of elation and ecstasy that accompany falling in love. By suppressing dopamine, Fisher argues, drugs like Prozac block your ability to have these feelings, thus making it harder to fall in love and stay in love.
The “blunting of emotions” is frequently mentioned by patients taking SSRIs for long periods who report that, although they feel less emotional pain than before, they also experience a restricted range of other emotions that are a normal part of everyday life (Barnhart et al.
A commonly reported side effect of SSRIs is a decreased sex drive which has an effect on your relationship. Some individuals on these antidepressants report anorgasmia, a persistent inability to achieve orgasm.
Antidepressants "can jeopardize your feelings," says Rutgers University anthropologist Helen Fisher who conducted brain studies of love. "You are tampering with the mechanisms that can help sustain feelings of romantic love and deep feelings of attachment."
SSRIs are the antidepressant class most linked to emotional blunting. SSRIs include: Escitalopram (Lexapro) Fluoxetine (Prozac)
As an SSRI, Prozac helps anxiety by keeping serotonin in your system, helping your mood, energy levels, and more. So while Prozac may, technically calm you, it is more of a long-term medication than one that provides immediate relief.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), commonly used to treat depression, are associated with loss of motivation, anergy, and lack of curiosity often referred collectively as apathy.
Antidepressant drugs, already known to cause sexual side effects, may also suppress the basic human emotions of love and romance. That SSRIs, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors — the most common type of antidepressant — cause sexual dysfunction is common knowledge.
Treatment with antidepressant medications can cause difficulty with sexual function in the domains of sexual desire, arousal, and orgasm. Rates of sexual dysfunction with antidepressant use are very high, particularly during the adjustment phase.
Emotional blunting is also considered a potential side effect of antidepressants, in particular SSRI antidepressants, and has been reported in multiple case reports and clinical studies.
Prozac (fluoxetine), an FDA-approved drug for treating depression and obsessive-compulsive behavior (OCD), can cause sexual side effects. These can include decreased sexual desire in both men and women, delayed or no orgasm in women, and delayed ejaculation in men.
In addition to insomnia, anxiety and nervousness are other activating side effects of Prozac. These side effects usually happen early in treatment and then improve with time. But for some people, they can be more intense and cause panic attacks.
Serotonergic drugs: Medications like monoamine oxidase inhibitors [MAOIs], triptans, tricyclic antidepressants, fentanyl, lithium, tramadol, tryptophan, buspirone and amphetamines can increase the risk of serotonin syndrome when taken with Prozac. St. John's Wort, when combined with Prozac, may also increase the risk.
Emotional blunting can be temporary, lasting from a few minutes to a few hours at a time. It can also occur over the long term, from months to years. It all depends on the underlying cause. Experiencing emotional blunting may affect your relationships and how you feel about yourself and the world.
SSRIs release two chemicals in the brain that kick in at different times, causing a period of negative effects on mental health, the authors report. The first chemical is serotonin, which is released very soon after an SSRI is taken but might not lessen depressive symptoms until after a couple of weeks.
Unfortunately, dopamine is also responsible for the feelings of elation and ecstasy that accompany falling in love. By suppressing dopamine, Fisher argues, drugs like Prozac block your ability to have these feelings, thus making it harder to fall in love and stay in love.
A class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, can cause side effects related to sexual dysfunction—including lack of normal vaginal lubrication. If you're experiencing this, it's best to bring this to the attention of your healthcare provider and/or psychiatrist.
But there are some side effects from antidepressants, including those that can affect your sex life. In addition to reducing interest in sex, SSRI medications can make it difficult to become aroused, sustain arousal, and reach orgasm. Some people taking SSRIs aren't able to have an orgasm at all.
About half of users who take selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) report a sense of emotional blunting, a psychic flatness that limits their emotional range, particularly their ability to experience positive feelings like pleasure and joy.
As it is with any medication, antidepressants can have side effects, including the possibility of what is termed “emotional blunting.” According to studies, nearly half of people taking antidepressants at some point experience emotional blunting from antidepressants.
4 According to the research, the antidepressants most commonly associated with emotional blunting are: Selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) such as Cymbalta (duloxetine), Pristiq (desvenlafaxine), and Effexor XR (venlafaxine)
The common occurrence of slow-rolling eye movements during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep in patients taking Fluoxetine has led to this finding being referred to as “Prozac Eyes” [1]. The oculomotor movements in patients on Fluoxetine are accompanied by an increase in myoclonic activity[2].
Bottom Line. Within the first one to two weeks, most people feel lower levels of anxiety, restlessness or tiredness with Prozac treatment. Your sleep, energy and appetite may improve over the first month and you may have a better focus on daily tasks. A depressed mood can take up to 8 weeks to fully respond.
Long-term side effects
Sexual side effects, such as problems getting an erection or a lower sex drive, have been reported after taking fluoxetine for a long time. In some cases, these can continue even after stopping the medicine.