"Heather, a 40-year-old woman from the US, describes this tension as leaving her feeling "empty, sad, and temporarily empowered, but always craving more." When engaging in casual sex, she regularly tried to turn off her emotions, which felt like "cutting off a part" of herself. Her description of the negative side of hookup culture is consistent with a little-researched condition called postcoital dysphoria (PCD), where people report negative emotions like tearfulness, sadness, or irritability after sex."
"In a 2020 study, women reported experiencing these symptoms after consensual sexual activity or masturbation some said the feelings occurred only after orgasm and described feeling drained or emotionally off in the hours or days afterward. Men also report PCD, but historic stigma around female sexual autonomy and personal expectations, has seen some research surveys report as many as three in four women having PCD from casual encounters."
Casual sex can be emotionally freeing for some but emotionally taxing for others when personal needs or boundaries are overlooked. Some people experience feelings of emptiness, sadness, or irritability after consensual encounters or masturbation, a phenomenon termed postcoital dysphoria (PCD). A 2020 study found women reporting PCD, sometimes occurring only after orgasm and lasting hours or days. Men also report PCD, and some surveys indicate high prevalence among women after casual encounters. Motivations for hookups vary; for people who crave emotional connection, detachment during sex can feel like cutting off a part of themselves and can make deeper intimacy harder.
Read at www.dw.com
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