PrEP

— The small blue pill helping end HIV transmission By James W Kelly Access to a preventative drug has led to a fall in the number of gay and bisexual men diagnosed with HIV, a leading sexual health clinic has said. Health Security Agency (HSA) figures for London show the number of first diagnoses had …

What to Know About the Sexual Side Effects of Antidepressants

— S.S.R.I.s, the most widely prescribed antidepressants, frequently cause sexual problems. Here’s what patients can do about it. By Azeen Ghorayshi Antidepressants have long been among the most widely prescribed drugs in the U.S. Their popularity only grew at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, when many people struggled with depression and anxiety. Some surveys …

Don’t feel pressured, learn to ‘simmer’ and keep experimenting

— How to have great sex at every stage of life Expert tips on a fun, fulfilling sex life – for teenagers, octogenarians and anyone in between By Rhiannon Batten Age 16-25 Don’t worry if your first time isn’t perfect “It’s not helpful to think of sex as having one big ‘first time’. You’ll probably …

How to boost your libido if you’re taking antidepressants

— Trust us, it’s not gone forever BY Holly Berckelman If you take antidepressants and have found your libido’s dropped off a cliff, fear not, there are GP-approved steps you can take to bring it back. There’s a lot of stigma around antidepressants Due to the formerly hush-hush nature of mental illness and misconceptions spread …

What Is Sexual Repression?

— Do I Have It? Human sexuality is a combination of cultural, psychological, and biological factors. It is a way of expressing emotions and feeling connected through physical affection and pleasure. Family, society, and culture influence our perceptions and attitudes toward sex and sexuality. Sexual repression happens when someone avoids expressing their sexual feelings, thoughts, …

Researchers find comprehensive sex education reduces homophobia, transphobia

by Dfusion Can a school-based sexual health education program that effectively reduces the risk of unintended pregnancy and STIs also decrease homophobia and transphobia? That question drove a collaborative effort by researchers conducting a randomized controlled trial of an inclusive comprehensive sex education program—High School FLASH. The study evaluated not just the impact on students’ …

Researchers suggest doctors should start prescribing vibrators to women

by Bob Yirka A team of researchers led by Alexandra Dubinskaya, of Cedar-Sinai Medical Center has found that the medical benefits of women using vibrators are strong enough to warrant doctors prescribing their use to female patients on a regular basis. In their paper published in The Journal of Urology, the group describes their metastudy …

Gay social and sexual norms are shifting in the PrEP era

By Krishen Samuel While cost remains the biggest barrier to accessing PrEP for gay and bisexual men in Canada, they also felt pressure to take PrEP and have sex without condoms, with younger men tending to feel less anxious about HIV transmission. This reflects shifting social and sexual norms in the era of PrEP and …

Researchers suggest doctors should start prescribing vibrators to women

by Bob Yirka A team of researchers led by Alexandra Dubinskaya, of Cedar-Sinai Medical Center has found that the medical benefits of women using vibrators are strong enough to warrant doctors prescribing their use to female patients on a regular basis. In their paper published in The Journal of Urology, the group describes their metastudy …