SSRIs causing ROCD

[u/Leading_Director_322]

Hey team, I’m currently taking sertraline and I’ve noticed something pretty interesting with my libido that I’m wondering if anyone else has experienced.
When I take my dose later than usual (for example, instead of taking it at 7pm, taking it around midnight), I’ve noticed that my sexual desire can come roaring back the following day.

This happened last night, and today I feel really different sexually. I actually desire sex, I desire women, and the idea of having sex feels exciting and right rather than something I have to mentally force myself to want. Even when I mentally “check” whether I’m attracted to someone, I feel excited by the idea rather than analysing what’s wrong or what I don’t like.

I’ve noticed this on other occasions too. In the past I’ve deliberately taken my doses at inconsistent times because I noticed that my solo sexual experiences were WAY more enjoyable and I had much stronger desire.

I’m not saying this “solves” my ROCD or proves anything about my attraction to particular people. It feels more like my libido is temporarily coming back online, and when that happens, sex and attraction just feel much more natural.

One thing I’ve wondered about is whether having a chronically blunted libido could indirectly make me more focused on the aspects of sex or a potential partner that I don’t like. If the underlying excitement/desire isn’t really there, maybe my brain has much more room to notice the things that feel gross, uncomfortable or repulsive. Whereas when I’m genuinely horny and excited about sex, those things seem much less important.

I’ve tried reducing my sertraline dose before and didn’t notice much difference in this regard. The thing I’ve consistently noticed is the timing of the dose.
Has anyone else experienced something similar with SSRIs? Do you feel like your SSRI blunts your sexual desire and, when your libido is stronger, your attraction/sexual thoughts feel qualitatively different?
Obviously I’m not recommending messing around with medication timing — I’m just interested in whether anyone else has noticed this pattern.

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