eros, logos: orchid g

Sunday, January 18, 2009

orchid g

Anastasia wrote recently about the link between orgasms (or lack thereof) and depression. In November I was diagnosed with clinical depression. The antidepressants I've been taking have the pleasant side-effect of reducing the frequency and intensity of my thoughts about jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge, or hanging myself, but they've also played havoc with my libido. That is, I suddenly have a libido again, but orgasms seem elusive. This is very upsetting; orgasms have never been a problem for me. I think of regular orgasms as essential for emotional and physical health. None of my trusty toys or techniques have been working. I suspect this is the dirty little secret many sex bloggers don't want to talk about. Half of us are on antidepressants, but hardly anyone seems to be suffering from the usual sexual side-effects of SSRI's.

Well, I'm talking about it. Women are twice as likely to suffer from depression as men, and most people who suffer from it have more than one episode. I recommend reading about depression here, also William Styron's excellent Darkness Visible, and finally, a visit to my favorite sex toy store, Babeland.

Babeland rocks. It's run by women, the salespeople are uniformly helpful and well-informed, the return policy is great, and best of all, it's thanks to them that I can announce my long orgasm dearth is over. I've always been ambivalent about the notion of reviewing sex toys in this space, but my love for the company is strong enough that I can happily endorse them. I was sent a few toys to review, and while I'm not sure the world needs more reviews of sex toys by highly orgasmic women; on the other hand, there is probably some value in reviews by someone who currently has trouble coming.

So I'm happy that I can recommend the Orchid G. It's angled for Gspot stimulation but the vibrating head can be used for clitoral or labial stimulation. Made of hard plastic, it cleans up with warm water and soap, and it's water resistant. It comes in three colours, pink, purple, and aqua and is just adorable. It takes two double AA batteries. Twist the bottom to increase the speed and intensity of vibrations. One con is the roommate factor: it's a bit loud. the good news is that if you're hiding under a duvet like me in an underheated flat, you won't notice any sound, but otherwise the sound is a little loud and I think would be distracting. On the highest setting the noise it makes is extremely loud and rather alarming. The bottom line is that this is a good serviceable, inexpensive toy that will get you where you're going. It doesnt have the presentation factor that the more expensive toys have, but it doesn't need it. It's an excellent beginner's toy for the Gspot. It's currently one of Babeland's bestsellers and I can see why. If you're looking to explore your Gspot or female ejaculation, the Orchid G genuinely is a good place to start. Best of all, it's only 22.00 USD, so it's definitely affordable for any budget.

I'm an affiliate for babeland, so if you buy anything through one of my links it's a nice way to help support my blog a little.
The website is great, plus their shipping is completely discreet with a nondescript return address and something equally bland showing up on your credit card statement, if that is an issue for anyone.

UPDATE 2/7: please read femme fatale's excellent review of the orchid g for the flip side--someone who really didn't like the product at all. Stick around and check out her blog; you'll be glad you did.

Labels: babeland, depression, orgasm, sunday sex toy review

posted by O @ 17:00


10 Comments:
At 18 January, 2009, Helen said… This is me raising my fist in solidarity; right on for raising this issue. At 18 January, 2009, O said… hey helen, thanks! I wasn't sure about doing reviews, but I can wholeheartedly endorse the company in question, babeland, and I do think someone whould be talking about the issue of depression and its side-effects, specifically the antidepressants. I hope people will find some utility to these reviews because it's a little different than the usual. Thanks again, O At 18 January, 2009, Helen said… Oh, yeah! After I hit post, I realize that I meant to second the positive review on Babeland, too. They really do rock! Plus, what other site can your read the customer reviews just for laughs? They have lots of informational stuff on their site, too; it would be great if someone would do a guide on sex and SSRIs. (Or, heck, other medical issues. As Roger Ebert said to my continuing delight, "Being sick is not fun, but you can have fun while you are sick." Having a medical condition shouldn't mean having to give up on sex, not unless it's really impossible). At 18 January, 2009, Frequent Traveler said… O, Glad that the Orchid G. works so well ! When I was having my monthly suicidal depressions, the obgyn tested my hormone levels and put me on natural progesterone. It calmed me down and evened me out - and didn't change my sex drive/orgasms at all. Might this work for you instead of an anti-depressant ? At 19 January, 2009, Aurore said… I'm glad you've written about this...I went through most of the SSRI family trying to find a drug that, like you kept me from walking into traffic (as it were) and still allowed to have a sex life. Thankfully, my doctors & mental health professionals realized how important sex is to happiness and we've found a combination seems to be working. Unfortunately, I think the stigma coupled sometimes with the belief that you should be satisfied that you can "control" your depression, and that sex and orgasms aren't that important in the grand scheme of things (at least I know that's how I felt for awhile). At 19 January, 2009, O said… Helen, thank you so much for your comment(s); I was really hesitant to do reviews at all, and then I was hesitant to talk about the issues of SSRIs and orgasm, but I really think it’s important. So thanks for the encouragement! I don’t know if babeland has any plans to do an article on the topic, but I plan to keep focusing on this issue in my reviews for them. It’s great to have such instant positive feedback. Annie, that’s a great suggestion. I will have to look into it and I will write something about it; as for me, I’m so happy to finally have something that works that I’m reluctant to change it. Thanks again to you both; I intend to keep writing about the sexual side effects of depression and antidepressants in the future when reviewing; hopefully that will be a perspective that others will also find enlightening. At 19 January, 2009, O said… Unfortunately, I think the stigma coupled sometimes with the belief that you should be satisfied that you can "control" your depression, and that sex and orgasms aren't that important in the grand scheme of things (at least I know that's how I felt for awhile). Aurore, that is such a good point. I know I've felt that way, and for many people there is an embarrassment issue about bringing up the subject of sex. I think it goes back to this feeling you point out, the feeling that it's 'not such a big deal' in the scheme of things....and of course since depression takes away the libido anyway, it's generally not the very first symptom people are looking to have alleviated when they finally get help. Welcome, and thanks again for commenting. At 19 January, 2009, Anonymous said… "the belief that you should be satisfied that you can "control" your depression, and that sex and orgasms aren't that important in the grand scheme of things" is bang on. that is exactly the attitude i got when i went on ssri's. but in the end it was the nightmares that made the meds intolerable. we're glad you're rediscouvering your mojo! cheers, ♀&sss At 21 January, 2009, Joanna Cake said… Over here, these were originally marketed as 'the tulip' and were supposed to be Gspot stimulators. The first couple of times I used mine I was very disappointed. Then I started using it as a clit stimulator and, hey presto, nirvana! Especially if used in conjunction with a penetrative device - preferably a penis. Im not on anti-depressants but then my depression always tended to show itself as anorexia (which has its own libido problems in terms of body image) until I started seeing Ruf regularly. Since I started to get on top of my food isses, I am aware that I do find myself feeling depressed in the more usual sense. I am quite sure that the hormonal imbalance of the menopause plays a large part here and I am trying to stay off any form of medication for either condition because of all the side effects. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that taking ten minutes for a good wank invariably makes me feel better, even if Im not feeling particularly horny in the first place. Using a tulip or the tingle tip on an electric toothbrush are quick, easy methods of achieving such an end. Could the gender comparison on depression statistics be due to the fact that blokes automatically wank regularly without too much compunction, whereas we women have been brought up to have so many negative issues with the pastime as a solo pursuit? At 21 January, 2009, Anonymous said… Oh, I have this one and love it too. It's extremely powerful. Thank you for writing about this topic.
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