Believe it or not, it's a common feeling for men and women to have some kind of depression after sex, even if the relationship was one of the best. So the next time it happens and your partner isn't around for the pillow talk, remember that you're not the only one who experiences this kind of anxiety.
There is only one name for this condition. It's called post-coital tristesse (PCT). It comes from Latin post-coital and French tristesse "sadness". Many people who suffer from PCT, that is, from this type of sadness after sexual intercourse, experience strong feelings of pain, anxiety, immediately after sex, up to two hours later.
Why does it happen? It has to do with the prolactin hormone. Women have it to produce milk, but so do men. The body produces prolactin after orgasm to combat dopamine – the hormone responsible for sexual arousal. But on the other hand, it can also cause a state of melancholy.
Why does a man feel sad after sex?
Sex is about connecting with someone, and while dopamine stimulates you to feel great while you're having sex, the reality of it can bring you down afterwards. You may feel scared or anxious about the various commitments you have, so you may want to stay alone and seek distance from your partner. Sex also makes you say hot "I love you and I want to have kids with you" things, but later on, all of that might not seem like such a good idea. After you are "awakened".
