This blog posts comes to us from the University of Texas where, Dr. Thomas Meyer and colleagues are conducting novel research into the many ways in which sexual health and wellbeing can be influenced by mood disorders.

People living with mood disorders, such as major depression (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD), can be impacted by their condition in a variety of domains. These include personal care (e.g., appetite, quality of sleep, distractibility), and areas within their broader lives (e.g., school/work performance, strained relationships). While the literature on these particular challenges is quite vast, one area of research is typically neglected: sexual wellbeing.

Healthcare providers recognize that sexual drive can be affected by fluctuations in mood. Individuals with persistent feelings of sadness, emptiness, and hopelessness (known as a Major Depressive Episode) tend to report an overall lack of interest and/or pleasure in sexual activities that they would have previously enjoyed. Comparatively, individuals with persistent elevated/expansive mood (known as a Manic or Hypomanic Episode) tend to report a significant increase in sexual activities, as compared to their usual. Despite this knowledge, how such shifts in sexual drive actually affect wellbeing is unknown.

Through exploratory analyses in a relatively untapped field, Dr. Thomas Meyer and colleagues examined self-reports of various aspects of sexual wellbeing, including satisfaction with sex life, in 162 individuals with MDD and 203 individuals with BD. Furthermore, they delved into whether these individuals’ sexual wellbeing was correlated with other aspects of their mental health, such as their quality of life and the severity of their symptom presentation.

A noteworthy aspect of Meyer and colleagues’ research includes their novel operationalization of sexual orientation. As opposed to directly asking participants for their sexual orientation, sexual behaviors and sexual attraction were assessed as separate, but related, concepts. This allowed for a more flexible, thorough determination of sexual wellbeing, which accounted for aspects of sexuality that may have not been considered otherwise.

Why is this type of assessment important? Consider the following example using preliminary analyses from this study: “A significant difference in satisfaction with sex life was found, with individuals with MDD more likely to rate their satisfaction higher than individuals with BD.” Considering these differences in sexual drive, with individuals with BD seeking more sexual activities than individuals with MDD, this finding might be surprising, as one may assume: “more sexual activities = more sexual satisfaction.” However, in the context of looking at sexual behaviors and attraction combined, this makes sense. Individuals with MDD often report a general lack of interest in sexual activities – so if they aren’t engaging in any sexual behaviors, we would expect their sexual activity pleasantly matches their sex drive. As such, people with MDD may actually feel content and satisfied with their present sex life. As this example illustrates, separately measuring different aspects of sexuality – namely identity, behaviours, and attraction – gives a new perspective on the quality of the sex lives and wellbeing of those with MDD and BD.

Please see the attached image for the preliminary findings that resulted from this study. As this study is one of the first of its kind, its efforts are intended to bring awareness to the need for more research in this area. Dr. Meyer and colleagues intend to expand on their current work by conducting research that would strengthen these findings, including (1) replicating the results in individuals interviewed face-to-face and not anonymously online; (2) assessing further the timeline of sexual behaviors/activities that can differ across stable times and mood episodes; and (3) addressing further ways in which sexual wellbeing can be affected by mood disorders, such as maintenance of sexual health.

To learn more about sexual wellbeing and bipolar disorder, visit the Bipolar Wellness Centre.