Alternatives to SSRIs? Research says YES! Will you??
Careful now, we are going to SCHOOL for a few minutes!
** If you chose to click the links and find that reading medical research is not your passion, just focus on the Abstract section or the Conclusion part!
If you've ever taken an SSRI, like fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), or escitalopram (Lexapro), you may have found some relief from anxiety and sadness. But you may have also felt something important slip away: your joy, your passion, your motivation.
Here are some common side effects linked to SSRIs:
Weight gain. Studies show about 11% of people gain at least 5% of their body weight in the first year. Average long-term gains often range from 6 to 10 pounds.
Sexual dysfunction. Up to 70% of patients report decreased libido, difficulty with arousal, or trouble achieving orgasm.
Emotional blunting. Around 80% of people who experience sexual side effects also describe feeling emotionally flat. They may feel less joy, creativity, or connection.
Sleep issues, nausea, headaches. In older adults, there may also be increased risk of bone loss and fractures.
It’s not that these medications don’t help some people. They do. But for others, they create a sense of being calm without color. Functioning, but not really feeling.
What the Research Shows About Hormone Therapy
(Research is my jam. Fair warning, I am about to nerd out on you all.😜 )
What if your low mood is less about brain chemistry and more about hormone imbalance?
A study of 510 peri- and postmenopausal women treated for 4 months with transdermal testosterone (cream or gel) alongside existing HRT found significant improvements in mood, including:
47% of women experienced mood improvements
Overall mood symptom scores decreased by ~34%
Libido improved by 52%
This suggests testosterone alone can meaningfully uplift mood, cognition, and well‑being in women beyond what estrogen/progesterone alone provide.
🔗 Read the full study here: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00737-024-01513-6.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com
A meta-analysis of 27 clinical trials found that testosterone therapy in men significantly reduced depressive symptoms compared to placebo. The effect sizes were considered medium to large (PMC Article).
Look at the title of this medical journal article! Emotional Blunting, Cognitive Impairment, Bone Fractures, and Bleeding as Possible Side Effects of Long-Term Use of SSRIs
🔗 Read the full study here: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov+1en.wikipedia.org+1
Testosterone Therapy for Men and Depression
A meta-analysis reviewing 27 randomized, placebo-controlled trials (1,890 men) found that testosterone therapy significantly reduced depressive symptoms compared to placebo, with medium-to-large effect sizes and better results at higher therapeutic doses
🔗 Read the full study here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6583468/
A Thoughtful Alternative
If SSRIs have left you feeling emotionally muted, struggling with intimacy, or burdened by side effects, you’re not stuck.
Hormone therapy can help restore energy, mood, mental clarity, libido, and emotional presence. Many people say they feel more alive, more connected, and more like themselves again.
If you’ve ever thought there must be a better way, a more natural way to treat low mood or anxiety, depression, AND sexual issues... this might be it.
Let me know if you’d like to explore it together.
Warmly,
Nichole Wilson, FNP-C
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101 N Market Street Suite D300 Benson, NC 27504
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