Unusual sexual behaviour associated with female depression

Abstract

Females have a higher prevalence of depression and more atypical depressive symptoms than men. Depressive disorder and antidepressant therapy is characte-ristically associated with sexual dysfunction, but less so in women than men. Reports of heightened sexual desire during depression are uncommonly reported. Here we describe two Sri Lankan females presenting with unusual sexual behaviour associated with depression. First is a middle-aged woman who complained of recent onset voyeuristic behaviour. Second is a young girl, who was brought by her parents after she went repeatedly missing from her home. She had been trying to seek an intimate relationship with a young man. In both patients, the heightened arousal subsided with the remission of depression. Further studies are required to explore this unusual presentation.