QUEENSLAND, Australia — Having sex may feel like a badge of honor for many men, but for others, it’s an act that, once finished, brings about intense feelings of sadness. In a new study, researchers for the first time ever have identified that women aren’t the only ones who can suffer from this emotional tidal wave in the bedroom, better known as post coital dysphoria, or PCD.
PCD occurs when a person has, for all intents and purposes, enjoyable consensual sex with a partner, but is met with “inexplicable feelings of tearfulness, sadness, or irritability” afterwards.
Researchers from the Queensland University of Technology say PCD had only previously been recognized in women, but after a survey of 1,208 men from numerous countries — including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and Russia — it’s clear that the condition is more common among males than one might expect. In fact, four in 10 participants recalled suffering from PCD symptoms at some point in their lives.
“Forty-one percent of the participants reported experiencing PCD in their lifetime with 20 percent reporting they had experienced it in the previous four weeks,” says co-author Joel Maczkowiack, a masters student at the university’s school of psychology, in a release.
As many as 4 percent of the individuals, who voluntarily participated in the online questionnaire via postings on social media and psychological research websites, said they battle PCD symptoms regularly. Men acknowledged that statements such as “I don’t want to be touched and want to be left alone,” or “I feel unsatisfied, annoyed and very fidgety. All I really want is to leave and distract myself from everything I participated in,” applied to them when thinking about times they’d made love. Others described feeling “emotionless and empty” even though the sex was otherwise satisfactory.
“It is commonly believed that males and females experience a range of positive emotions including contentment and relaxation immediately following consensual sexual activity,” says co-author Robert Schweitzer, a professor at the university.
Schweitzer says that research has shown that couples that continue engaging in acts of intimacy after sex, such as talking, kissing, or cuddling, feel more satisfied in their relationships and strengthen the bond they share. Conversely, the emotional rollercoaster that comes with PCD could magnify any conflict in a relationship and wind up causing a bond between two people to break even further.
“The first three phases of the human sexual response cycle – excitement, plateau, and orgasm – have been the focus of the majority of research to date,” Professor Schweitzer said. “Yet previous studies on the PCD experience of females showed that a similar proportion of females had experienced PCD on a regular basis. As with the men in this new study, it is not well understood. We would speculate that the reasons are multifactorial, including both biological and psychological factors.”
The authors say the findings show sexual experiences for men could be more diverse than believed, and are important for clinicians to consider when working with men who may experience such symptoms.
The full study was published July 24, 2018 in the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy.
“As many as 4 percent of the individuals, who voluntarily participated in the online questionnaire via postings on social media and psychological research websites, said they battle PCD symptoms regularly.”
First, the people in the “study” we social media users, thus, very likely mentally ill.
Second, the participants voluntarily took online questionnaires on social media, thus, they are very stupid.
Third, people online lie.
Wow. Who pays for these ‘studies’?
Taxpayers.
Have you got a mirror?
Soyboys are always sad.
Men don’t spend time on social media taking surveys.
Or posting internet comments?
Maybe they are just missing “their boys”. Too dumb to realize that they will have a million or so new ones by morning.
Interesting… I recently read a stat that said 4 out of 10 women need to lose weight. Somethings you can’t unsee.
Never felt sadness, just inexplicably sleepy. ????
I always feel like a sammich but she won’t get up and make it for me.
Hence, the sadness. It makes perfect sense.
Isn’t that why she’s there, to be a Samich maker. 😉
Left over pizza or Chinese food.
“Post coitum omne animal triste est sive gallus et mulier.” Galen of Pergamum
It ain’t news.
This isn’t any dysphoria. It’s I’m sad because I can’t hAve sex for the moment. One gets sad because they just released a bunch of testosterone and they’re wiped out. Give it 10-15 minutes and you’ll be happy again. Can I get a witness men?
not T, but Oxytocin and a slew of endorphins. Its like a small scale Heroin high
Boy! I thought I had problems.
Usually after the beer goggles are ta li en off.
He’s probably thinking she’s going to rip my son or daughter to death.
Sex outside of a monogamous marriage between a man and a woman is the Devil’s playground. Evil Spirits enter the participants of fornication and adultery. This leads to depression, anger, sadness, and feelings of emptiness. Beware the Succubus….
Word.
monogamy was the only way to ensure a Man wasnt raising someone elses child. Nowdays DNA testing eliminates the need for monogamy…………besides, women want a BETA to pay as long as the ALPHA will play………….women are manipulators of weak minded men………..women do not love men, women love resources.
yup….women love resources….no doubt.
Spot-on.
Sex outside of marriage, between a man and a woman, is in violation of the spiritual laws which God placed in both the natural and spiritual realms. So, to put in a another way, sin is the transgression of the law…God’s spiritual law (ref. I John 3:4).
And sin by implication, since it’s an illegal act, gives legal grounds for evil spirits to enter.
And if one is having dreams of a sexual nature…that’s not a good sign.
I thought it would have been at least 40%.
4 out of 10 men got sober.
Another study recently found that 4 out of ever 10 men are sleeping with a fat chick.
“…individuals, who voluntarily participated in the online questionnaire..”
Wut? Online questionnaire? Puuuuuhhhlease……this is a total waste of time!
Study: 1 in 3 articles on the internet is complete and utter BS.
George Carlin once said, his “ED” went away after he left his wife and met a super hot Chiquita. Miraculously cured.
As a VERY WISE college prof once said: “Romance DOES NOT begin in the bedroom.”
Was this study conducted on people in valid committed marriages who are open to conceiving children? Or on unmarried fornicators, people in invalid marriages, adulterers, and contracepting married couples?
That “sadness” you feel could be your conscience. Seriously. If these are people shacking up or living bad lives, it may be that they have a moment of horrible lucidity after the lust wears off. Just a thought, one that atheistic secularists would never have of course.
It could also be that people have unrealistic ideas about coitus. It’s supposed to be a means to an end – creating a family. The joy is in the children and the love, not in the physical side of things. We are just so degraded as a culture that this has been lost.
You must be a real joy in the bedroom.
I thought HEDONISM was another name for American Culture.
This survey was conducted on men on their honeymoon.
4 out of 10 “men” must be betas or confused – i just want to go again.