does depression enhance sex drive in some people?

Hi everybody

I have recently been diagnosed as suffering from cyclothymia, a mild form of bipolar disorder.

I have noticed that when I have a very bad day, my depression somewhat enhances my sex drive, and masturbating or having sex with another person strongly helps me recover from the depression.

Depression is usually associated with low levels of testosterone and sexual desire, but the opposite seems to be true for me. My moments of depression are marked by strong restlessness and unusually high levels of libido.

I've wondered if sex helps because it stimulates the secretion of testosterone, but whether this is true is not clear. And it would be at odds with the fact that strong libido seems to make my depression worse.

Possibly, sex improves my mood by making me feel better, and this relieves the depression. But the relationship between libido and depression remains unclear for me.

Hope someone has a science-based answer for this.

Alex

[Venora Moonwind]

It is more likely that you are going through a manic phase. when I am manic I cant get eonugh sex but everyone is different. I say go wiht the flow and enjoy good sex since it makes you feel good
Love Venora

[Crystlas]

I can totally relate.  I am a rapid cycler and sometimes symptoms of mania and depression mixes.  I can be very very horny and depressed at the same time.  My being bipolar totally effects my sexdrive.  Depression in bipolar people can sometimes be corrected by a boost of seretonin.  And sex it the ultimate anti-depressent and naturally boosts seretonin levels.  Therefore, the body can naturally crave that seretonin to correct the depressive side.  However, please please be careful with your hypersexuality.  Masturbation is a very safe alternative or monogomous sexual encounters with a partner.  I drive my fiance nuts when I am hypersexual and masturbation is very helpful, instead of exhausting him! :)   A lot of people become very parmiscuious (sp?) when they are manic.  This is an unsafe way to end up with nasty STD's.  So please be careful and I wish you the best in finding a stable balance in yourself.   Kristen

[rollercoaster1958]

When I am manic, I lose all sense of reality with sexual permiscuity (sp?).   It's actually the main indicator that I am manic.  Please be careful.  I am lucky to be alive.