'Post-nut phenomenon' that affects 40 percent of men explained as expert reveals when to seek help

Sex can be a wonderful experience at times and it can prompt some huge emotions when it's over but millions of people are having the same reaction.

Whether you're connecting deeply and emotionally with a long-time partner, or you and your spouse have just welcomed a new couple into your bed on a swinging show live on television, sex can make you feel a lot of different things.

If you're not able to keep up with the averages in the bedroom, it might leave a partner disappointed, but it turns out that them crying might not be as worrying as it sounds as it's actually a health condition that millions of people deal with on a regular basis.

What is the post-nut phenomenon?

You've probably heard of post-nut clarity, which is the clearness you might feel in your brain after an orgasm, but as many as 40 percent of men are actually facing something very different.

The health condition, known as post-coital dysphoria (PCD), triggers an emotional response moments after climaxing, and there are several different explanations for it, ranging from hormones to psychological distress.

PCD can prompt tears after sex even if it was the best you've ever had, with famous adult star Angela White opening up about the time she went viral for crying after a particularly pleasurable porn shoot.

It isn't anything to be embarrassed about (Getty Stock)

She said: "One of my most viral scenes is a scene where I cried for 20 minutes afterwards in my partner's arms," she said, "and it was just such an incredible, beautiful moment that I had with Manuel [Ferrara]. I just had this full body release."

What did researchers find about PCD?

Although PCD has more commonly been associated with women, a study from researchers Robert D Schweitzer and Joel Maczkowiack found that 41 percent of men have experienced PCD at some point or another.

The descriptions of how PCD feels included: 'I don't want to be touched and I want to be left alone'; 'I feel unsatisfied, annoyed and very fidgety'; and being 'emotionless and empty'.

PCD can also lead to feelings of sadness, anxiety, or irritability, and there are a number of potential causes, with one of the most likely a hormonal shift after finishing sex.

It's something that regularly affects both men and women (Getty Stock)

Why does PCD happen and what can be done to help it?

The rapid drop in hormones like oxytocin and dopamine after an orgasm can cause a temporary mood change, while there is also sometimes a rapid change from intimacy to detachment, which can lead to moments of vulnerability.

Sex and relationships psychotherapist Gigi Engle said: "PCD – often referred to as the ‘post-sex blues’ – is when someone experiences feelings of sadness or agitation after consensual sex, even if the sexual encounter was loving and pleasurable.

‘This can happen whether orgasm was experienced or not, but often is a comorbidity with orgasm.”

Neuro Wellness Brand suggest that if the feelings continue to happen regularly or are troubling you, then therapy sessions with a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist, group counselling sessions led by a trained mental health professional, or online resources such as self-help groups or chat rooms, are a great way to find help.