Antidepressants could be meddling with the development of young libidos.

November 16, 2025

For many, S.S.R.I.s, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, may grant relief from the weight of depression or the siege of anxiety, and for some, the medications may be lifesaving. The drugs may avert self-harm or suicide. But some clinicians believe it seems probable that with S.S.R.I.s, something sexually disruptive may also happen — and they might well be meddling with the development of young libidos. Around two million 12-to-17-year-olds in the United States are on the drugs.

For his cover article on antidepressants and their effects on the sex lives on young people, Daniel Bergner spoke with more than 20 people with PSSD, post-S.S.R.I. sexual dysfunction, a loss of sexuality that persists after the drug is no longer being taken, and writes about their spectrum of side effects.

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