Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are common antidepressants prescribed for depression, anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorders in Australia and worldwide. Whilst this medication has many benefits, SSRIs can negatively impact on sexual functioning, yet disclosure of this issue is rare. Given that women are at increased risk of mental disorders and that SSRI use is more prevalent in this target group, this project used a qualitative research approach known as Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore the lived experience of coping with sexual difficulties amongst women who have been taking SSRI medication. This paper is aimed at health practitioners and will provide recommendations on how to improve the management of SSRI related sexual difficulties for women.
To gain meaningful insight into this phenomenon, a qualitative research design using a phenomenological approach was used. A purposively selected sample of 10 Australian women under 45 years old were interviewed twice using semi structured interviews to gather a detailed account of individual experiences. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed through an iterative and inductive process.
