Postcoital Dysphoria (PCD) can be described as, as one study put it, “post-sex blues.” After having consensual sex with a partner, PCD can generate a sense of “homesickness,” sadness, depression, anxiety, crying, or irritability. Sometimes, PCD can be caused by a sense of being overwhelmed by emotions, such as crying, due to feeling deep vulnerability, a sense of intimacy, and love toward their partner after sexual activities.

If you are a man who experiences difficulty reaching orgasm or delayed ejaculation, please know that you are not alone! Approximately 5-10% of cisgender men experience difficulty reaching orgasm or experience delayed ejaculation during partnered sexual acts. Delayed ejaculation can mean that the person is unable to ejaculate after sufficient arousal and stimulation or ejaculates infrequently enough to the point that it causes the individual psychological and emotional suffering and worry.

Surprisingly, as noted in a study, some therapists would outright state negative judgments or try to automatically pathologize a client for their interest in BDSM or kink activities. Due to fear of stigmatization, many people who practice BDSM do not disclose their sexual practices to their therapists; in turn, if there is a longer-term therapeutic relationship, the client feels uneasy about revealing this aspect of their lives out of fear, affecting the therapeutic alliance.