Sexual disinhibition during treatment with a benzodiazepine: a case report. 1991

M Fava, and G F Borofsky
Massachusetts General Hospital, Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, Harvard Medical School.

We are reporting a case of a woman with a history of drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and sexual promiscuity as a teenager who later on in life had become very religious, sober and sexually abstinent. A few years later, she began having anxiety and panic attacks, typically when in physical proximity to men and sought treatment. The patient became clearly sexually disinhibited while treated with clonazepam, a high potency anti-anxiety benzodiazepine, and her "inappropriate" sexual behavior ceased when the medication was discontinued. Given her history, it is likely that the medication weakened the already fragile defenses by the removal of the "warning signals" represented by her panic attacks. The result was a more direct expression of her sexual drive in the form of strip tease dancing and sexual promiscuity. This case suggests the importance of carefully examining the history of a patient's capacity for regulating sexual drive before prescribing an anti-anxiety drug.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D010200 Panic A state of extreme acute, intense anxiety and unreasoning fear accompanied by disorganization of personality function. Panics
D002998 Clonazepam An anticonvulsant used for several types of seizures, including myotonic or atonic seizures, photosensitive epilepsy, and absence seizures, although tolerance may develop. It is seldom effective in generalized tonic-clonic or partial seizures. The mechanism of action appears to involve the enhancement of GAMMA-AMINOBUTYRIC ACID receptor responses. 2H-1,4-Benzodiazepin-2-one, 5-(2-chlorophenyl)-1,3-dihydro-7-nitro-,Klonopin,Antelepsin,Rivotril,Ro 5-4023,Ro 54023
D003866 Depressive Disorder An affective disorder manifested by either a dysphoric mood or loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities. The mood disturbance is prominent and relatively persistent. Depression, Endogenous,Depression, Neurotic,Depression, Unipolar,Depressive Syndrome,Melancholia,Neurosis, Depressive,Unipolar Depression,Depressions, Endogenous,Depressions, Neurotic,Depressions, Unipolar,Depressive Disorders,Depressive Neuroses,Depressive Neurosis,Depressive Syndromes,Disorder, Depressive,Disorders, Depressive,Endogenous Depression,Endogenous Depressions,Melancholias,Neuroses, Depressive,Neurotic Depression,Neurotic Depressions,Syndrome, Depressive,Syndromes, Depressive,Unipolar Depressions
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001008 Anxiety Disorders Persistent and disabling ANXIETY. Anxiety Neuroses,Anxiety States, Neurotic,Neuroses, Anxiety,Anxiety Disorder,Anxiety State, Neurotic,Disorder, Anxiety,Disorders, Anxiety,Neurotic Anxiety State,Neurotic Anxiety States,State, Neurotic Anxiety,States, Neurotic Anxiety
D012725 Sexual Behavior Sexual activities of humans. Anal Sex,Oral Sex,Sexual Activity,Sexual Orientation,Premarital Sex Behavior,Sex Behavior,Sex Orientation,Sexual Activities,Activities, Sexual,Activity, Sexual,Behavior, Premarital Sex,Behavior, Sex,Behavior, Sexual,Orientation, Sexual,Sex, Anal,Sex, Oral
D012931 Social Environment The aggregate of social and cultural institutions, forms, patterns, and processes that influence the life of an individual or community. Social Context,Environment, Social,Social Ecology,Context, Social,Contexts, Social,Ecologies, Social,Ecology, Social,Environments, Social,Social Contexts,Social Ecologies,Social Environments

Related Publications

M Fava, and G F Borofsky
August 2007, The Journal of clinical psychiatry,
M Fava, and G F Borofsky
May 2021, The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry,
M Fava, and G F Borofsky
January 2003, The Israel journal of psychiatry and related sciences,
M Fava, and G F Borofsky
November 2017, Psychogeriatrics : the official journal of the Japanese Psychogeriatric Society,
M Fava, and G F Borofsky
June 1992, Journal of oral and maxillofacial surgery : official journal of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons,
M Fava, and G F Borofsky
December 1976, British medical journal,
M Fava, and G F Borofsky
September 1976, British medical journal,
M Fava, and G F Borofsky
October 1976, British medical journal,
M Fava, and G F Borofsky
November 1992, Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie,
Copied contents to your clipboard!