When you're taking buspirone, a non-benzodiazepine anxiolytic used to treat generalized anxiety disorder. Also known as Buspar, it's often chosen because it doesn't cause dependence or sedation like older anxiety drugs. But for some people, even a drug meant to help can bring unwanted changes—like sexual dysfunction, a range of issues including reduced libido, trouble getting or keeping an erection, or delayed orgasm. Unlike SSRIs, which are notorious for shutting down sexual response, buspirone’s impact is subtler, less predictable, and often overlooked.
Many assume all anxiety meds wreck your sex life. That’s not true. Studies show buspirone causes sexual side effects in far fewer people than drugs like sertraline or fluoxetine. In fact, some research suggests it might even improve sexual function in people whose anxiety was the root cause of their problems. But if you’re already struggling with low desire or arousal, buspirone might not fix it—and could make it worse. It doesn’t block serotonin the same way SSRIs do, so it avoids the classic SSRI sexual side effect profile. But it still interacts with dopamine and serotonin receptors in ways that can dampen arousal, especially at higher doses. The key difference? You’re less likely to lose your sex drive entirely with buspirone, but you might notice it takes longer to get turned on, or pleasure feels muted.
Sexual side effects aren’t just about physical response—they’re tied to mood, stress, and how you feel about your body. If you started buspirone because anxiety was keeping you from intimacy, the improvement in your mental state might actually help your sex life more than the drug hurts it. But if you’re already on another medication, like an SSRI, and your doctor switches you to buspirone hoping to fix sexual side effects, you might be surprised. Some people report better function. Others don’t notice a change. And a few say it got worse. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. What matters is tracking your own experience: when did the change start? Was it gradual? Did it happen after a dose increase? Did you stop drinking, start working out, or change your sleep routine around the same time? These details help your doctor decide if it’s the drug or something else.
If you’re dealing with this, don’t just suffer in silence. Talk to your provider. They might adjust your dose, suggest timing your pill differently (like taking it in the morning instead of at night), or combine it with another approach. There are also non-drug strategies—therapy, mindfulness, couples counseling—that can help rebuild connection and confidence. You’re not alone in this. Thousands of people on buspirone have faced the same question: Is this the drug, or is it me? The answer isn’t always clear, but you don’t have to figure it out alone.
Below, you’ll find real-world insights from people who’ve been there—what worked, what didn’t, and what to watch for when managing anxiety without losing the things that matter most.
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