A new study suggests that many women do feel depressed after sex. The study involved more than 200 young Australian women who were questioned about their sex lives. At least one in three young women said they experienced post-coital blues at some point in their lives. Ten per cent said they frequently or almost always felt sad after making love. The study was published in the quarterly International Journal of Sexual Health.
According to study author Robert Schweitzer, from the Queensland Institute of Technology, “Under normal circumstances, the resolution phase of sexual activity, or period just after sex, elicits sensations of well-being, along with psychological and physical relaxation…However, individuals who experience post-coital dysphoria (sadness) may express their immediate feelings after sexual intercourse in terms of melancholy, tearfulness, anxiety, irritability or feeling of restlessness.”
Authors called for more research to see if the findings were similar for other age groups. Prior sexual abuse can cause feelings of shame, guilt and loss in later sexual encounters, Schweitzer said. But this study found only a moderate correlation between prior sexual abuse and later post-sex let down. He added, “This suggests other factors, such as biological predisposition, may be more important.” The next step, Schweitzer said, is to look at women's emotional characteristics and how they view themselves to see if personality contributes to bedroom blues.