From sedation to stimulation: anecdotal case reports of enhanced sexual arousal in men and women taking diphenhydramine hydrochloride.

Résumé

INTRODUCTION: Unexpected enhancement of sexual arousal, desire, and orgasm following diphenhydramine (DPH) ingestion has emerged in anecdotal reports across online platforms.AIMS: To examine whether there are common effects of DPH on the sexual responses of women and men who respond to DPH with excitation rather than sedation.METHODS: Qualitative case data were gathered from surveys of men and women on a DPH Reddit site to examine the consistency, intensity, and subjective nature of DPH effects on sexual arousal, desire, and orgasm.RESULTS: Participants described enhanced sexual arousal, orgasm, increased stimulation sensitivity, and profound emotional release from DPH. Some found the effects stronger than those of prescription medications for sexual arousal disorders.CONCLUSION: These observations suggest a paradoxical pharmacological action of DPH, potentially involving dopaminergic and/or histaminergic pathways. While DPH itself is not a recognized therapeutic agent for the treatment of sexual dysfunctions, these unexpected effects may point toward a novel neurochemical mechanism of sexual excitation in some individuals that warrants further investigation.