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Question:
Can Zoloft help stop premature ejaculation? If yes, how long will it take to work and are there any harmful side effects?
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Answer:
by Robert Birch: (05/19/2004)
Rapid or "premature" ejaculation can become a major concern for a man or his partner, but it is really the mental anguish that is the problem, not the rapidity with which the man ejaculates. There are, for example, men who ejaculated in 30 seconds but are not concerned and there are those who ejaculate in three minutes and are worried sick. There are women who love to orgasm with oral stimulation and then have their partner enter for his, with no concern about how long he spends thrusting.
On the other hand, there are women who avoid orgasms before penetration, hoping for their climax during intercourse. Unfortunately, the average male might orgasm in three minutes, but the average woman needs considerably more time. Furthermore, even if a man can last longer, the majority of women are unable to orgasm during intercourse.
There are no standards for couples, and each must find what works best and decide what is acceptable to them. However, if one or both of the partners are concerned about the man's lack of ejaculatory control, there are basically two approaches to slowing him down. I choose not to use the term "cure," for the rapid speed with which some man ejaculate is not really an "illness, and neither approach really cures anything."
I choose to label the two approaches as physical or behavioral. Within the category of a physical approach is the use of external desensitizing creams, most containing active ingredients such as zylocaine or benzocaine. These creams, when spread over the penis, numb the superficial nerve endings. However, for most users of such creams, this offers very little help.
A more common physical approach is the use of prescription medication taken in the form of a pill. The medication typically prescribed is one of those used to treat depression, such as Paxil or Zoloft. While this works for some men, it does not work for all, and even when it does help, it is not a cure. It is a temporary aid, and once the man stops taking it he will be back where he started.
The behavioral approaches assume that some men must learn ejaculatory control, without somehow altering their external or internal physiology. The problem of rapid ejaculation will not be cured by a behavioral approach, but once a strategy for controlling the ejaculatory process has been learned, this knowledge can be used for a lifetime. Many men are impatient and unwilling to
spend the time required to learn what they must learn. However, most non-medical practitioners recommend taking the behavioral approach first, using medication only with a man is unable to learn better control. The behavioral approach takes time and practice, and learning occurs much faster if there is an understanding and cooperative partner. Fortunately, this learning process can be fun and the results well worth the effort.
Reviewed by Sexual Health Editorial Team
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