Let’s be honest here: we’ve all been through sex dry spells. It happens for different reasons- your sex drive is low, you’re fighting with your S.O., or there’s just no one to have sex with. Regardless of the reason, sex dry spells are entirely normal and common. And while you might think that just because you haven’t had sex in a while, you’re all of a sudden a born again virgin, it’s important to note that that’s definitely NOT the case.

Going without sex for a bit isn’t going to make you regain your virginity, that’s for sure. But, that also doesn’t mean that a dry spell doesn’t affect you at all. These are all the things that a sex dry spell can do to your brain and body:

You’ll feel more stressed out
Ever find that when you have sex, you’re instantly calmer? Well, that’s because having sex releases oxytocin and endorphins, otherwise known as the feel-good hormones. So, if you find yourself getting more stressed out during a sex drought, that’s why. You’ll just have to find other ways to release your stress.

You may lose self-esteem
You go through many emotions when you’re in a sex drought, and one of those may be a lowered self-esteem. It’s natural to feel more confident about ourselves when we’re having sex, and the opposite may happen when you’re not. You also might find yourself hesitant to have sex again because of this lack of self-esteem. If that’s the case, it’s a good idea to take matters into your own hands (AKA, masturbation) to make yourself feel good again.

You may lose your sex drive
You might think that the longer you go without having sex, the hornier you’re going to become- but that’s not always the case. In many instances, a sex dry spell can actually make you lose your sex drive. If you have a vagina, you might also find that the less you have sex, the harder it is for you to get wet.

You might get more sick
It’s true, having frequent sex can actually improve your immune system. A sex dry spell might lead to you getting more sick, as sex increases your immunoglobulin levels, which is an antibody that improves your body’s natural defenses.

You may lose creativity
Having sex releases a ton of feel-good chemicals. It releases dopamine, which makes you feel happy. It releases endorphins, which is our body’s natural pain-killing hormone. And it releases oxytocin, which promotes a feeling of love and comfort. And many of those things lead to an overall increase in creativity. But unfortunately, not having sex means those hormones aren’t being released, and you may find yourself lacking creativity.