Sex is a powerful emotional experience. Whether it’s during orgasm or post-climax, emotions run the gamut and it’s completely normal to cry.
However, if you find yourself crying frequently after sexual intimacy, it’s important to seek professional help. Oftentimes, the root of the issue is deeper than just an emotional reaction to intimate activity.
1. You’re overwhelmed
Many people feel a variety of positive physical, mental, and emotional feelings after having consensual sex with someone they’re attracted to, like euphoria, satisfaction, warm intimacy, or relaxation. Unfortunately, for some, those emotions can shift into a flurry of negative ones. It’s called post coital dysphoria, or PCD.
The good news is that it’s not always a sign that there’s something wrong. In fact, if you’re feeling sad or bad after sex, it could mean that you have some unresolved issues with your partner or other areas of your life. Talking to a certified sex therapist or ob-gyn can help you get to the bottom of it.
In this case, you might find yourself crying after sex because of performance anxiety or because your expectations weren’t met. These are things that can happen to anyone and it doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t love your partner – This section provides a glimpse into the website expert’s thought process https://sexguru-club.com. However, if those tears are more frequent than normal, it’s a good idea to reach out for expert guidance.
2. You’re in love
While we generally expect to feel euphoric, satisfied, and connected after sexual intimacy, sometimes we experience negative emotions. This is called postcoital dysphoria or “post-sex blues” and it’s more common than you might think. It can include tearfulness, melancholy or depression, and even anxiety or agitation.
Cooper explains that during orgasm, our brains are flooded with the neurotransmitters dopamine and oxytocin, which are associated with feelings of love, connection, joy, and tension release. This can be an overwhelming and beautiful feeling that makes you cry.
But what about the times when the tears aren’t about the sex itself? Maybe it’s about the relationship you have with this person. Perhaps the intimacy you shared together triggered a bond that was so deep and intense, that when it ended, you were left with an overwhelming sense of loss. In those cases, it’s more likely that the post-sex sadness is a sign of deeper emotional issues that need to be addressed. This can be something that requires professional help or simply a little time to heal. It’s still worth exploring.
3. You’re a child
For many people, tears after orgasm is a normal response to sex. It isn’t a sign that your partner failed to satisfy you, nor does it necessarily indicate that you are depressed or unhappy in your relationship. However, crying after sex can also be indicative of a deeper emotional issue that needs to be addressed. It is often triggered by sexual trauma, including past abuse or neglect. Studies have shown that survivors of childhood sexual trauma are more likely to experience postcoital depression (PCD), a condition that can cause feelings of sadness and melancholy after sex, even when the sex was fully consensual and pleasurable.
If you regularly feel sad after sex, it might be time to speak to a counselor or therapist about your experiences and emotions. BetterHelp can make it easy for you to get matched with a therapist. Simply fill out a short questionnaire, and you could be paired with a qualified therapist within 48 hours! Click here to begin. Get 20% off your first session.
4. You’re a parent
If you’re a parent and experience PCD, it’s important to discuss the issue with your partner. It’s also a good idea to talk with a therapist about any underlying issues you may have that are related to your emotions.
It’s important to remember that crying after sex is not always a bad thing. Sometimes, it’s a sign that you just had a really powerful orgasm and you are feeling overwhelmed with joy. The release of oxytocin can trigger happy feelings and tears. It’s like when you cry at a wedding or after receiving a very thoughtful gift.
Alternatively, you might feel sadness after sex because of some unresolved trauma from the past. This can be caused by a lot of things, including childhood sexual trauma. Some people who have been abused by someone in authority figure tend to hold this trauma within their bodies and resent it when they have sex. Other times, certain positions or words can evoke sexual trauma from the past. Seeing a therapist can help you address these negative emotional experiences and move on from them.
5. You’re a partner
There’s something to be said for the feeling of elation, release, and tranquility that comes with a powerful orgasm. However, some people experience sadness, a heaviness, or even an actual depression after having sex—and this can occur regardless of whether the sexual act itself was satisfying. These symptoms are called postcoital tristesse or dysphoria (PCD), and they can last from a few minutes to several hours.
In some cases, it may be that the hormones associated with sex create an intense bond that makes you feel like you’re so close to your partner that when sex is over, it’s hard to accept that this connection isn’t going to continue. A sex therapist can help you understand what’s behind these feelings so that you and your partner can work together to overcome them.
In other cases, you might be struggling with unresolved issues from your past that are making you associate sex with sadness or depression. Again, a sex therapist can be helpful to work through these problems so that you can stop the negative associations from forming in the future.
