A note to listeners, this episode contains discussion of suicide and suicidal ideation.

It would be easier in many ways to do a podcast episode about pickleball. How to play, where to play,

equipment you need, why it's so popular, why to play at all. It would be simple, accessible,

easy to discuss. But this episode isn't about

pickleball. It's about something that isn't simple or easy to discuss. We're going to talk about

sex. It's depression mode. I'm John Moe. I'm glad you're here.

We're going to talk about sex because it's part of health and it's part of mental health.

And we're going to talk about it because we as a society and and probably we as a show, don't talk about it enough.

It's a huge part of people's lives, sex.

For some, it can be quite wonderful, a big source of happiness and contentment and joy.

Sex can also be a source of frustration and loneliness and pain. A lot of emotions going on there, a major role in our mental framework. In a Venn diagram, the sexual health circle and

mental health circle overlap quite a lot. And if you have an interesting mind, if you deal with depression, anxiety,

other mental disorders, sex can be an even more complicated issue. We don't talk about it, I guess,

because doing so can be difficult. It's a guarded, private thing. It's vulnerable. It's not like pickleball. John, stop talking about

pickleball. We need to talk about sex. Dr. Emily Nagoski is a sex educator and researcher. She's the author

of the best-selling, groundbreaking, really, 2015 book, Come as You Are, the surprising new science

that will transform your sex life.

It was focused on how women's sexuality works.

Her new book is Come Together, the science and art of creating lasting sexual connections,

which is more built around people in long-term sexual relationships, the challenges they face,

and what can be done about those challenges.

Emily Nagoski, welcome to DePresh Mode.

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