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6->'''Lauren:''' It's just that the doctor part of me never shuts off, and I know that I’m merely acting out of transference of grief onto you. Wanting to have sex is a very common response to grief. Biologically speaking, the transference often helps move the pain. Sort of use it as something else. Turn it into something different. Something better...\
7'''Bo:''' Yeah, I, um...I can see how...intimacy could do that.\
8'''Lauren:''' It's in much the same way that a person who's having a heart attack often feels a sharp pain in the left arm? It's the brain's way of redistributing the pain so that it's not all...concentrated in one area.\
9'''Bo:''' I love it when you totally geek out.\
10'''Lauren:''' Can I sleep with you?\
11'''Bo:''' Yes.
12-->-- ''Series/LostGirl'', [[Recap/LostGirlS2E20LachlansGambit "Lachlan's Gambit"]]
13
14When a character has sex, possibly [[DrowningMySorrows while drunk]], in order to help them cope with (emotional) trauma from a recent tragedy.
15
16Alice and Bob are two characters in a series who are extremely close; maybe they are in love, or maybe they are just close friends, but they are happy together… until Bob dies. Or leaves. Or is revealed to be [[TheMole lying the whole time]]. Regardless of the exact circumstances, the relationship is over and Alice is emotionally crushed. Does she [[DrowningMySorrows begin to drink heavily]] or [[HeartbreakAndIceCream gorge herself on ice cream]] to wipe away the feelings or [[DeathSeeker seek to end the pain]]? Nope, she goes out and finds somebody to spend the night with, and then finds somebody else the next night, and then finds somebody ''else'' the night after that. These are not emotionally healthy relationships, nor do they count as "relationships" by any definition of the term; they are just a string of one night stands as she tries to cope with the loss.
17
18Sex For Solace deals with any situation where a character, suffering from severe emotional trauma, acts out their own internal turmoil through repeated sexual experiences. The trope does not only limit itself to ended romantic or sexual relationships, but can also deal with the death or loss of a parent/child, the defeat of an ideal, or other such crippling events. The trope can be played alternately for laughs or for drama, depending on the general tone of the work and how Alice's attempts to gain a new sexual partner are portrayed.
19
20Related to, and often the result of, DrowningMySorrows. Might indicate that somebody is OffTheWagon in a different area. Contrast EthicalSlut, ForHappiness, and SexIsGood. Compare ''or'' contrast SexIsEvilAndIAmHorny, depending on how the story deals with sexuality. Also compare ComfortingTheWidow, wherein someone takes advantage of an emotionally vulnerable person grieving the loss of their partner. Also compare OnTheRebound where someone begins an ill-advised relationship after splitting up with their partner.
21
22In RealLife, [[TruthInTelevision this is a common way]] of dealing with emotional trauma and PTSD. Needless to say, it can be a bad idea (though at the very least, it's better than drugs or alcohol or the like… maybe). That said, it's a somewhat commonplace [[GladToBeAliveSex reaction]] to '''[[DepopulationBomb mass]]''' [[DepopulationBomb casualty disasters]], perhaps as evolution's way to encourage repopulation. Now that that's out of the way…
23
24[[noreallife]]
25----
26!!Examples:
27[[foldercontrol]]
28
29[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
30* ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'': After Guts [[spoiler:leaves the Hawks]], Griffith, devastated by this, seeks out some sexual solace with [[spoiler:Princess Charlotte]]. And the countdown to The Eclipse starts the second her father finds out.
31* ''Manga/BlackButler'': Beast gives in to Sebastian's seduction and has sex with him after Joker ignores her request to run away from their "father" and rejects her feelings for him. Sebastian uses her emotional vulnerability to coerce her into sex to "help" her with her pain, but it is really to get answers out of her.
32* Tamura from ''Manga/BokuraNoHentai'' was abused as a child by an older neighbor. He repressed the memories until he lost his virginity. Tamura ends up becoming promiscuous, often trying to have sex with adult men and other male-assigned-at-birth members of the cast (including trans girl Marika). Even as an adult, he engages in strings of one-night stands and flings despite finding them unfulfilling, all traced back to his trauma from being assaulted at a young age.
33* In a twisted way in ''Anime/{{Canaan}}'', the trope is PlayedForDrama with Hakko's sex scene with [[spoiler:Santana's corpse]], which takes place after she crosses the DespairEventHorizon when Liang Qi tricks her into killing [[spoiler:him]] with her voice.
34* In ''Manga/CeresCelestialLegend'', [[spoiler:Aya offers herself to Yuuhi, looking for SexForSolace for losing Toya. Yuuhi gives in at first, to the point of making out and both getting naked. However, right before going too far, Yuuhi snaps out of it after seeing Aya being clearly on the brink of tears. He then kindly rejects her, claiming that [[AboveTheInfluence he loves her too much to take advantage of the situation]].]]
35* ''Manga/{{Citrus}}'':
36** Really, any time when Mei becomes overly emotionally distressed, she would proceed to try to make sexual advances on Yuzu. While this is mostly because she is inept when it comes to processing her feelings towards her stepsister, Mei is often depicted as being shrouded by darkness. The worst case of this is in episode 2 of the anime where when Yuzu tries to extract some insight into how Mei truly felt about moving in with her grandfather, Mei lashes out at her, and pushes her onto the bed. She then proceeds to tear open her blouse and if there is any indication, she would've gone as far as to molest Yuzu had it not have been for Yuzu getting to her.
37** In episode 6, after Mei learns that her father has no intent on returning to the academy, in her depression, she forces herself onto Yuzu. The expression that she makes before Yuzu slaps her is especially sinister. She also comments how she'll "be gentle" since it would be Yuzu's first time. That can be taken as a hint that Mei has done this before.
38* Subverted in ''Anime/CodeGeass''. Lelouch is depressed and going through a TenMinuteRetirement and propositions this to [[spoiler:Kallen]]. She gives him a slap coupled with a GetAholdOfYourselfMan instead.
39* ''Anime/CrossAnge'':
40** [[spoiler:This is part of the reason why [[FallenPrincess Ange]] seduces [[BadassNormal Tusk]] in Episode 22 after learning he survived his DisneyDeath. At first she thinks his presence here is a product of [[BigBad Embryo]] pulling a cruel illusion trick on her, but she nevertheless wants to believe that the man she loves is indeed still alive and right in front of her. So she begs him to stay as she tackles him to the ground and strips down. Thankfully, there is lots of tenderness to be felt in what becomes TheirFirstTime, and Ange is saved from her current DespairEventHorizon, renewed to fight one last time because Tusk is still by her side.]]
41** A couple of episodes earlier, Rosalie tries to proposition this to Hilda since their crush objects (Chris for Rosalie, Ange for Hilda) haven't been heard from for some time, with no guarantee that they're safe. Rosalie is upset because Chris has joined [[BigBad Embryo]], and Hilda is struggling with her unrequited crush on Ange. While they do attempt to start off, they ultimately realize they can't go past a heated kiss, and instead choose to have a heart-to-heart regarding their love interests.
42* Jeremy from ''Manga/ACruelGodReigns'' does this so often that he becomes a [[spoiler:[[HookerWithAHeartOfGold teenaged prostitute]]]]. Even after quitting this, Jeremy still tries to seduce Ian when is [[FreakOut extremely upset]] or [[SanitySlippage having a rough time coping]]. Lindon is the first to realize that Jeremy's actions are a poor method of coping with his [[RapeAsBackStory issues.]]
43* ''Literature/DenpaTekiNaKanojo'': Hikaru proposes this to Juu after she has been rejected by her true crush thanks to the MaliciousSlander from the Happiness Club.
44* Ryo from the ''{{Manga/FAKE}}'' series tells Dee he can "go ahead and do it" to him while in a depressed state. Dee answers with a slap with a GetAHoldOfYourselfMan out of anger, as [[ChivalrousPervert he]] is AboveTheInfluence and would never take advantage of [[HeroicBSOD someone who's head isn't on straight and vulnerable.]]
45* ''Manga/FoodWars'': In the final chapters, it's revealed that Azami Nakiri (Erina's father) had a one-night stand with an American woman when he was still a student, due to still being depressed over the disappearance of his dear [[UsefulNotes/JapaneseHonorifics senpai]] Joichiro Saiba. [[spoiler:The result was the birth of Asahi, leaving him horrified when he learns he had abandoned a son]].
46* In ''Manga/{{Gravitation}}'', Yuki revealed he was raped when he was younger, leading to his preference for multiple partners male and female, as well as triggering his depression.
47* [[spoiler:Kurumi]] from ''Manga/HaouAiren'' engages once in this with [[spoiler: her FetishizedAbuser's NumberTwo, Fuuron.]] Doubles as IntimatePsychotherapy since it takes place right after she explains her most recent troubles to him.
48* In ''Manga/{{Inubaka}}'', [[spoiler:Kanako]] began to go out late every night and bring strange men to her home to cope with her dog's death.
49* ''Manga/KazeToKiNoUta'': Despite his apparent cruelty, Gilbert proves to be a tortured young man with a history of abandonment, objectification, and abuse. This is part of the reason why he sleeps around with male students.
50* ''Anime/LegendOfTheBlueWolves'': Jonathan and Leonard have a romance with each other and sex scene. It is these tender moments that they turn to for solace from their precarious lifestyle as they are in the middle of a war with aliens, and Jonathan is lusted after and then raped by Captain Continental.
51* Myung and [[spoiler:Guld]] go through this once in ''Anime/MacrossPlus'', after [[spoiler:she cries in front of him during a chat and begs him not to leave her alone that night, since she had been almost murdered and he was the one who saved her.]]
52* Subverted in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSeed'' by Flay, who takes advantage of a distraught Kira in order to allegedly comfort him with her body. It's actually a ploy to manipulate him [[spoiler: in revenge for him not being able to save her father]].
53* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'':
54** Implied to be a heavy basis for Misato and Kaji's relationship. Most sources show that Misato underwent a lot of psychological trauma after Second Impact, and the manga also illuminates that Kaji went through similarly difficult losses, so they both used intimacy as a means of coping with their pain.
55** It's implied that Misato is offering sex to Shinji when he's depressed after Rei's demise in Episode 23. After [[HatesBeingTouched Shinji rejects her advances]], she concludes that she's more in need than he is for solace (Kaji having died a couple of episodes earlier).
56* ''Anime/{{Rec}}'': When Onda Aka's apartment burns up along with all of her belongings and Fumihiko Matsumaru, a young office worker, she first met only a few hours ago, takes her in, she has sex with him out of grief.
57* ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena'':
58** Utena secretly suffers from suicidal depression under her tough prince exterior. She ends up in bed with Akio and in a brief romance with Touji, both of which she attempts to use to comfort herself, although the scene with Akio is so dubious she does not seem to like it in the end. She eventually ends up in a romance with Anthy, another girl, and she reveals her protecting Anthy was partly due to her own self-satisfaction but her relationship with Anthy does end up offering her solace, as they grow to love each other.
59** It is implied that many of the admittedly dysfunctional cast sleeps around, partly for this reason. Touga and Akio in particular, though they also do so to further their own goals.
60* ''Manga/SakuraGari'': Souma had a traumatic childhood which included rape (due to his beauty) and afterwards he is so broken he seeks out multiple partners and continues to do so even after they die from having ties with him at the hands of his psychotic sister.
61* ''Anime/SchoolDays'': Almost every character is messed up or depressed and EverybodyHasLotsOfSex or simply has romantically charged scenes. This notably occurs between Makoto and Kotonoha as well as Makoto and Sekai. Both girls have serious issues, and the romance and sex with Makoto help, until the plot thickens and Makoto's womanizing tendencies arise so things take a turn for the worse.
62* It's implied a lot that Shizuma did this with a majority of the girls at her school in ''Literature/StrawberryPanic'', as a way [[spoiler:to cope with the death of Kaori, her first true love.]]
63* Touka and Kaneki's sex scene in ''Manga/TokyoGhoul:re'' acts as this as well as IntimatePsychotherapy as they are both depressed and seeking solace but it is also an expression of their love for each other and TheirFirstTime.
64* Almost happens between [[spoiler:Yota and Moemi]] in ''Manga/VideoGirlAi'', after [[spoiler:she goes through a NearRapeExperience and almost crosses the DespairEventHorizon. They end up hugging naked and crying.]]
65* ''Manga/WolfGuyWolfenCrest'': After Haguro's death, Ryuuko just lost her mind, wandering on the streets and selling her body for sex to men in utter disbelief and despair now that she lost Haguro and couldn't get Inugami.
66[[/folder]]
67
68[[folder:Comic Books]]
69* Renee Montoya begins the series ''ComicBook/FiftyTwo'' [[DrowningMySorrows drinking heavily]] and picking up random women after the events of ''ComicBook/GothamCentral'', where her partner Crisupus Allen was murdered and her girlfriend Daria Hernandez left her after she began to descend into alcoholism and violence. With the help of ComicBook/TheQuestion, she manages to regain her emotional equilibrium, but when [[ShootTheDog she needs to kill a young girl that Intergang had brainwashed into being a]] [[SuicideAttack suicide bomber]] she is found drunk again and in bed with another woman. She herself admits that this is a pattern, and after every emotional trauma she either runs back to the bottle or into the nearest bed.
70* Anna, whom [[ComicBook/{{Batwoman}} Katherine "Kate" Kane]] is dating in the first issue of her run on ''ComicBook/DetectiveComics'', claims Kate is using her as a rebound relationship. She also accuses Kate of "tomcatting around" due to her obvious lack of sleep and, even though she is mistaken as to Kate's evening activities, Kate never does deny that their relationship is a classic rebound.
71* ''ComicBook/FinePrint'': Lauren has lots of casual sex to offset her depression and loneliness. This doesn't work.
72* In ''ComicBook/JewGangster'', Ruby finds Molly and has sex with her after his father's funeral.
73* ComicBook/NormanOsborn has sex with Gwen Stacy -- yes, ''[[ComicBook/TheNightGwenStacyDied that]]'' Gwen Stacy -- soon after his son Harry is hospitalized for OD'ing on LSD. Gwen herself was traumatized by her father's death and Peter's [[TheMasqueradeWillKillYourDatingLife apparent aloofness]]. This in truth turned out to be false as Norman was hypnotized to believing he had slept with Gwen by a artificial computer version of Harry Osborn.
74* One AlternateCharacterInterpretation of Starfire's behavior in ''ComicBook/RedHoodAndTheOutlaws'' is that she's doing this when she propositions Roy Harper barely hours after they first meet. Apparently she was supposed to come off as an EthicalSlut, but instead, it came off like this.
75* In ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'', Nico has a self-admitted tendency to throw herself at people in the aftermath of any stressful or traumatic scenario, although she does not progress to actual sex until well into the second volume of the series. She knows it is not healthy and is not fair to herself ''or'' whomever she throws herself at, but she cannot seem to break the pattern. She ''does'' break the pattern after [[spoiler:Victor cheats on her with Lillie, deciding to let him go in the hopes that Lillie will make him happier.]] In the 2017 relaunch, she impulsively tries to kiss Karolina, despite Karolina already being taken.
76-->'''Karolina:''' Why do you always do this?\
77'''Nico:''' I don't know...
78* ''ComicBook/YTheLastMan''. A female astronaut returns to Earth with two male astronauts who survived the {{Gendercide}}. When the reentry vehicle bursts into flame the men insist on saving her life at the expense of their own, despite the fact that [[OnlyYouCanRepopulateMyRace men are now priceless]]. Turns out that while they were on the space station facing TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt she had comfort sex with both men, and was now pregnant.
79[[/folder]]
80
81[[folder:Fan Works]]
82* ''Fanfic/AdoptedDisplaced'': In ''The Sparkle in His Eye'', Celestia eventually reveals that after she had to use the Elements against Nightmare Moon, a close female friend of hers turned themselves into a stallion to comfort her, resulting in Celestia becoming pregnant. [[spoiler: The friend was her pet phoenix Philomena, and their child eventually -- several lives later via BornAgainImmortality -- became Sunset Shimmer.]]
83* ''Fanfic/AlysanneLadyOfWinterfell'': Tommen and Fenella Lannister's relationship collapsed as a result of the emotional stress of losing all three of their children to the Shivers. The last time they shared a bed, it was a few days after the funeral of their last surviving child, and they managed to conceive another son but not to recover their relationship.
84* ''Blog/BetterBonesAU'': Jayfeather, who is dealing with complicated feelings about TheReveal of [[spoiler: Leafpool and Crowfeather being his parents]], turns to Poppyfrost for comfort and ends up accidentally getting her pregnant.
85* ''Fanfic/CrucibleMassEffect'':
86** In the [[BadFuture alternative future]], Alt-Garrus slept with Perdita to forget about Shepard's apparent death. He ended up getting her pregnant, forced to marry her only for the survived Alt!Shepard to show up with her own [[HalfHumanHybrid big stomach]]. And this was just the first in a serial of disastrous events that came later, all because Alt.Garrus decided to seek this trope with the wrong person (despite knowing said person has an ulterior motive).
87** Later Alt-Garrus slept with Shepard in the hospital to help them calm down after their son's [[RapeAsDrama incident]] [[PaedoHunt with]] Garrus's [[UnwantedSpouse current wife, Perdita]].
88* The ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' fanfic ''Fanfic/DownToAgincourt'' explains that Castiel [[ReallyGetsAround has so much sex]] because it's basically the only thing about being human--other than heavy drug use--that he doesn't actively loathe.
89* In the ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' fic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/602600/1/ Fate Unown]]'', Delia's {{childhood friend|Romance}} Spencer was in love with her, but Delia preferred her [[TeacherStudentRomance teacher]], Samuel. After Delia accidentally became pregnant with Ash and she mistook Samuel wanting to marry her for a loveless ShotgunWedding excuse, she ran to Spencer for comfort. It ended up turning into this, but Delia loved Samuel more than Spencer and it never went beyond that one time.
90* After Shinji gets some troubling news about Yui's motivations in ''Fanfic/GhostsOfEvangelion'', Asuka decides to take his mind off it this way. At this point in their relationship this was a rarity for them, and he ended up feeling even worse when he realized that she hadn't really been in the mood.
91* In ''Fanfic/GoldPoisons'', Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue had an encounter like this during the Sunshot Campaign. It was Jin Guangyao's fault, as he'd written a letter warning Xichen he was in danger and Xichen has a hard time processing it. Both feel like they've taken advantage of each other.
92* After a few bottles of wine, Zuko and Katara end up doing this in ''Fanfic/LeaveYourSpirit''. Katara's pained by her husband being away more often then he's not, while Zuko has been left a widower after his wife died. They regret it afterwards. It isn't until two years afterwards that Katara notices [[ChocolateBaby her daughter Kya is most likely not her husband's]]:
93-->''The planes of Fire Lord Zuko's face have hardened and his eyes squeeze shut as if he can lock out all the harsh memories of death and loving feelings never lost. And Katara watches him and wishes that she could take away some of the pain.\
94And then she looks away, because wanting to take away some of his pain was one of the reasons that she got herself into this situation.\
95That, and him wanting to take away hers.''
96* In ''Fanfic/TheLifeAndTimesOfAWinningPony'', [[EthicalSlut Cloud]] [[LovableSexManiac Kicker]] finally gives in to Blossomforth's advances in the wake of [[spoiler:finding her mother dead and personally killing the Changeling Infiltrator responsible]].
97* In ''Fanfic/MarriedToTheFlames'', Jin and Zuko have TheirFirstTime because Jin wants to feel numb from her feelings and the world.
98* In ''Fanfic/TheOneILoveIs'', Shinji agrees to sleep with Asuka to comfort her after Arael's psychic attack.
99* [[http://www.fimfiction.net/user/kalash93 Kalash93's]] ''[[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/106068/1/relax/intimacy Relax]]'' is all about this trope. The conclusion is absolutely heartwarming. (Sturgeon's Law is in full effect here. You have been warned.) There's also [[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/88520/welcome-to-the-brothel related]] stories by the same author. In both, it's a case of a prostitute using her body to comfort her soldier client, but each one is told with an interesting twist which makes them both really good quick reads.
100* The ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' fanfic ''FanFic/ScarTissue'' has Asuka sleeping with Shinji in order to alleviate her trauma. Played very darkly in that [[QuestionableConsent Shinji feels too guilty to say "no."]]
101* In the ''Manga/FairyTail'' fanfic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12908239/1/The-Spirit-Doll The Spirit Doll]]'', [[spoiler: Natsu and Lucy]] had done this after the battle with Tartaros. After they had both suffered the loss of someone they loved [[spoiler: (ie. Igneel and Aquarius)]] with [[spoiler: Lucy]] having the extra solace of almost losing [[spoiler: Natsu]] to go with it. They need the reassurance that both of them were still there and alive, not realizing their actual feelings for one another. This led to [[spoiler: Lucy]] having a daughter during the timeskip as well as the events of the story to take place.
102* In chapter 4 of ''Fanfic/StormCloudsAndGreySkies'', Claire is traumatized because she thinks that Leia was killed in a freak typhoon. After Gray wakes her from a nightmare, Claire begs for him to "take her pain away".
103* Zelda and Link have this type of relationship in ''Fanfic/TheirBond'', but it doesn't get much farther than heavy kissing. Otherwise, they have a [[NotBloodSiblings sibling relationship]]. [[spoiler:Link is helping Zelda with her past childhood sexual abuse by Ganondorf.]] Neither likes it because they ''do'' see each other as siblings, and because [[spoiler:they're both gay at that]], but Link would do anything to help Zelda.
104* Belle and Aurora end up sleeping together for this reason in ''Fanfic/ToAMerryChristmas''. Aurora is staying over at a party Belle is throwing for Christmas. They meet and get tipsy together in the library, but Aurora begs Belle to go to bed with her because she's afraid to sleep alone. It ends up leading to sex.
105* ''Fanfic/ToFillTheVoid'' begins with Taylor having grief sex with her boyfriend and teammate Brian after losing her father to Bakuda and her boss to Leviathan. This in turn leads to [[TeenPregnancy the main premise of the story]]...
106* ''Fanfic/VowOfNudity'': After Fiora and Gren barely survive a wild goat ambush, Gren starts freaking out and trying to abandon their mission. Fiora stops him by giving him a blowjob to calm him down and give her time to think of further ways to manipulate him to keep going.
107[[/folder]]
108
109[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
110* In ''Film/Alien3'', Ripley and Clemens make love for this reason. Ripley has lost two people who meant a lot to her, and Clemens has spent a large part of his life on a bleak prison planet to atone for his past mistakes. Ripley also does it to deflect a question that Clemens asked her, but why she chose ''this'' way to deflect it is this trope ("I've been out here a long time", she says).
111* ''Film/{{Attenberg}}''. Marina's father is dying of a terminal illness, so suspecting he's attracted to her ReallyGetsAround friend Bella she arranges for Bella to sleep with him, [[ParentalSexualitySquick though she doesn't want to know the details]].
112* In the movie ''The Burning Plain'', Sylvia is a beautiful restaurant manager whose cool demeanor masks her issues. When a stranger from Mexico confronts her with her mysterious past, Sylvia is launched into a journey through space and time that connects her to these characters, all of whom are grappling with their own romantic destinies. Gina is a housewife trapped in a loveless marriage who finds solace and passion in an illicit affair. Mariana is a young woman coping with the death of her mother, who falls in love with a young man her father despises. Though separated by time and distance, these women find their lives linked by the forces of love and fate.
113* ''Film/CabinFever'': "It's like being on a plane when you know it's gonna crash -- everyone around you is screaming, yelling 'We're going down! We're going down!' And all you really wanna do is grab the person next to you and fuck the shit out of them, 'cuz you know you're gonna be dead soon, anyway."
114* ''Film/Concussion2013'': The reason why Abby starts doing sex work. It is not for the money per se, as she is already financially comfortable, but rather, to relieve the boredom of her life.
115* ''Film/ForgettingSarahMarshall'' has the protagonist, Peter, have a string of unemotional flings with random women on the advice of his doctor after he becomes despondent and mildly obsessed with his ex-girlfriend -- the eponymous Sarah Marshall -- after she dumps him.
116* ''Film/Funhouse2020'': After [[spoiler:Headstone]]'s tragic death and with only 3 contestants remaining, Kasper and Lonnie decide to have sex. Meanwhile, Mouse decides to put on a show for the camera by masturbating.
117* ''Film/{{Goldstone}}''. Detective Jay Swan--who's introduced being [[DrowningMySorrows pulled over for drunk driving]]--later goes to speak to a prostitute as part of his investigation. During their conversation he reveals that his daughter whom we saw in the [[Film/MysteryRoad previous movie]] has died. He ends up sleeping with her, and it's implied that he went there in the first place for this trope, rather than any hope of getting information.
118* ''Film/HeDiedWithAFelafelInHisHand'': Sam and Anya get together at the end of the Brisbane segment, and break up around the time when the Melbourne segment starts. Incredibly upset by the breakup, she asks Danny to sleep with her, saying that she needs to feel loved. [[spoiler: When he turns her down, she tries and fails to commit suicide.]] After all that, Danny decides that his previous arguments are no longer valid and sleeps with her anyway.
119* In ''Film/MonstersBall'', [[Creator/HalleBerry Leticia]] has sex with [[Creator/BillyBobThornton Hank]] after the deaths of her husband and son. Hank himself had inadvertently driven his own son to suicide.
120* In ''Film/MostLikelyToMurder2018'', Billy's ex Kara reminds him that the last time they had sex was after Hurricane Sandy, when she was upset about the loss of her childhood photos.
121* In ''Film/TheMountainBetweenUs'', the two main characters depend on each other to survive when their plane crashes. They find solace in one another, fall in love, and eventually have passionate sex.
122* ''Film/{{Outland}}''. After O'Neil's wife and son abandon the mining colony to return to Earth, Montone advises him that the company prostitutes can at least provide some comfort.
123* ''Film/{{Spectre}}'': Defied. When Bond and Madeline investigate Mr. White's old honeymoon hotel room, she tells him that she won't fall into his arms just because she learned that her father recently killed himself. The following night, they have GladToBeAliveSex instead.
124* Implied (but averted) in ''Film/StarTrek2009''. After the destruction of Spock's home planet, Uhura gets Spock [[ElevatorGoingDown somewhere private]], kisses him, and offers whatever he needs to cope. Spock's reaction is NotSoStoic but makes it clear that he needs everyone to keep a professional distance right now. Uhura accepts this.
125* In ''Film/TheTerminator'', Sarah Connor ends up having sex with Kyle Reese while they're on the run from a killer robot, and she had witnessed it murder multiple people that she knew. [[SomeoneToRememberHimBy This ends up being the encounter that produces John Connor]], the savior of the human race in Kyle's timeline.
126* Rose in ''Film/Titanic1997'' tries to kill herself when feeling overwhelmed by the stuffiness and loneliness of high society life. She is clearly depressed and finds solace in the free-spirited commoner Jack; She is enamored with him and his way of life; they eventually consummate their love with sex in a car in the lowest hold of the ship.
127* In ''Film/WhenHarryMetSally'', Harry sleeps with woman after woman to try to forget his ex-wife, Helen (while he's in love with Sally, his best friend, of course, and neither realizes it yet). This prompts the following exchange:
128-->'''Harry:''' If you're so over Joe, why aren't you seeing anyone?\
129'''Sally:''' I see people. \
130'''Harry:''' See people? Have you slept with one person since you broke up with Joe?\
131'''Sally:''' What the hell does that have to do with anything? That will prove I'm over Joe? Because I fuck somebody? Harry, you're gonna have to move back to New Jersey because you've slept with everybody in New York and I don't see that turning Helen into a faint memory for you. Besides, I will make love to somebody when it is making love. Not the way you do it like you're out for revenge or something.
132* Cheryl Strayed in ''Film/{{Wild}}'' does this after the death of her mother, in addition to drugs. She even says the only times she's happy are when she's having sex or on drugs.
133[[/folder]]
134
135[[folder:Literature]]
136* In ''Literature/TheAeneid'', recently widowed Dido pretty much leaps into Aeneas's arms at top speed. Unfortunately for the poor girl, she was just a pawn in Juno's revenge quest against Aeneas, so it ended badly.
137* ''Literature/AiNoKusabi'': Riki once did this with Iason after believing himself to be stood up by his ex-lover Guy.
138* ''Literature/TheAliceNetwork'': After her brother [[AteHisGun swallows his gun]], Charlie sleeps around with boys she doesn't really like. She then ends up [[OneNightStandPregnancy pregnant]] without a clue who [[GlorifiedSpermDonor the father]] is.
139* In the YA novel ''All We Left Behind'', teenagers Marion and Kurt meet and fall in love. Marion is unable to tell anyone about something that happened to her years before. Both cope with their dysfunctional families in different ways: Kurt's sister is a meth addict, and he uses sex to fill the void he feels over his alcoholic mother's death, while Marion is disconnected from even those closest to her.
140* ''Literature/{{Arthas}}: Rise of the Lich King'', an entry of the extended lore of the VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft franchise written by Christie Golden, follows the titular character through his life up past his ascension to the Frozen Throne. At one point during the initial outbreak of the plague of undeath, Arthas becomes overwhelmed by the horrors befalling his people and his own growing sense of frustration and helplessness. He and Jaina - at this point his ex-fiancée - seek comfort in each other as they set up camp outside a nearby infected town. Notable for the fact that Arthas is explicitly described as still weeping when the scene fades to black.
141* ''Literature/TheAtrocityArchive''. During a routine lecture on demon summoning, a careless member of the class gets possessed and Bob Howard has to kill him on the spot to prevent him from infecting everyone else. That night his ex-girlfriend Mhari turns up in his bed, despite them both being estranged from each other, having heard about what happened.
142* {{Exaggerated|Trope}} in ''Literature/TheBelgariad'': After Belgarath learns that his wife of 2000 years [[DeathByChildbirth died]] while he was away, he spends a year in a suicidal daze, two years [[DrowningMySorrows as a raging drunk]], a few months WalkingTheEarth (including crossing the Wood of the [[OurNymphsAreDifferent Dryads]] in mating season), and nine years sleeping his way around all of [[LadyLand Maragor]] before his TrueCompanions haul him back to his duties.
143* ''Literature/BooksOfTheRaksura'': {{Defied|Trope}} at the end of the fourth book when the crew have just suffered a harrowing betrayal. Kalam, one of the worst affected, abruptly pulls Moon in for a kiss, but Moon refuses due to Kalam's young age and they [[LetUsNeverSpeakOfThisAgain agree to forget anything happened]].
144* At the end of ''Literature/{{Changes}}'', book ten of ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', newly-fired cop Karrin Murphy plans to go out and find a "reasonably attractive" male to spend the night with. When Harry Dresden tentatively suggests that he join her, since they have been ''almost'' a couple several times over the past several years but have always been kept apart by various circumstances, she hesitantly agrees, with a plan to meet up in an hour. [[spoiler:Harry is, of course, [[DownerEnding shot dead by a sniper in that intervening hour]].]]
145* In the Jennifer Hillier ''Creep'', this seems to be the case with Ethan and his girlfriend but they are both too crazy and unstable for it to help any as they keep falling into their SerialKiller ways. Played more straight with Shiela. She was a respected teacher that went off the rails after her dad's death and her beloved was revealed to be gay and she found him and another man in the act of having sex. She started having random sexual encounters with men to cope and as she describes it she felt powerful. She eventually got lost in the feeling however and became an alcoholic and added drugs to the mix. Part of her story is her gradually climbing out of the hole she had gotten herself into.
146* ''Literature/FieldGrey'': 1954 Bernie wonders why gorgeous Melba went to bed with him when he's old enough to be her father. He concludes that she's looking for solace, seeing as how she's a fugitive who's fleeing the country after murdering a cop.
147-->"It was just that she was young and scared and lonely and wanted someone--anyone would have done, probably--to hold her and make her feel like the world cared about her."
148* In the ''Literature/GearsOfWar'' novels, this was how Marcus Fenix and Anya Stroud first hooked up some sixteen years prior to the first game. Both were already attracted to each other, but mutual hesitancy about a relationship (due to regs against an officer and an enlisted man being romantically involved) kept them from acting on it until after the battle of Aspho Fields. Marcus' best friend/surrogate brother Carlos and Anya's mother Helena were both killed in action, and after an awards ceremony a month later, Marcus and Anya were drunk and grief-stricken enough to say "the hell with it". They managed to stay together afterwards due to most of those who knew about it looking the other way (since Marcus was a war hero and Anya the daughter of one).
149* In ''Literature/HighFidelity'', the narrator's ex-girlfriend wants this [[spoiler: after her father suddenly dies. It's how she and the narrator get back together.]]
150* ''Literature/HighSchoolDXD'': Akeno comes to Issei with intent of sex in the seventh volume, due to having a lot on her plate to deal with, emotionally speaking, due to her strained relationship with her father. Issei is at first overjoyed at his good luck... [[DefiedTrope but turns her down]], saying that while he wants to have sex with her very much, [[AboveTheInfluence he wants that occasion to be a happy one, not when Akeno is obviously feeling sad]].
151* In ''Literature/HoratioHornblower'' novel ''Flying Colours,'' Hornblower finds himself stranded at the benevolent Comte de Gracay's over the winter as a fugitive from Napoleon's (in)justice; he and his two men can't leave until spring for logistical reasons. Feeling trapped and fretting over his inevitable CourtMartial for the loss of his ship, his mood grows fouler and more disturbed until Gracay's widowed daughter-in-law Marie offers herself to him. His CabinFever is relieved immediately, but now he's also wracked with guilt over betraying the Comte's trust, the only man in France who ''would'' shelter three British sailors.
152* ''Into Thin Air'' by Jeannie Levig: While some would see Jordan as the "bad girl", there are others who interpret her character as being a broken woman who uses sex to feel some void in her life that was created from a past of where she thought she wasn't loved.
153* In ''Literature/{{It}}'', another work by Stephen King, the Losers become lost in the sewers after beating It for the first time and start to panic. Beverly calms the boys down and establishes a physical bond with them by having sex with them.
154* ''Literature/JamesBond'':
155** It's hinted, implied and occasionally flat-out stated to be a big part of Bond's relationships with the [[GirlOfTheWeek Bond girls]]. His few meaningful relationships have ended in betrayal and/or death, hence his cavalier attitude towards women and his pursuit of sex as a pleasurable distraction (much like [[TheAlcoholic his drinking habit]]) or [[HoneyTrap a means to an end]].
156** In ''Literature/DeathIsForever'', Bond agrees to provide sexual comfort for a female spy [[spoiler:who just became the sole living member of her network of thirty agents]].
157* In ''Literature/JenniferGovernment'' Buy Mitsui blames himself for the death of a young girl because he gave her the money to buy the shoes she was killed for. When he goes out drinking [[DrowningMySorrows to try and deal with the guilt]] he winds up going home with Sandy John-Hancock but recognizes the next day that he will probably never call her (Which is a pity, because she actually seemed like a nice woman).
158* ''Literature/KushielsLegacy'': Phèdre's friendship with Hyacinthe is entirely {{platonic|LifePartners}}, but they sleep together once after Hyacinthe's lover is killed in battle. As a sacred prostitute, she's very familiar with this trope and IntimatePsychotherapy, though not usually with so close a personal acquaintance.
159* In the backstory of ''Literature/ShadowOfTheConqueror,'' this was how Dayless began indulging in sex after [[StartOfDarkness the death of his family]], using it as a method of coping with [[BeingEvilSucks the pain within]]. He went from prostitutes to willing young girls in a hurry, and eventually indulged in [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil increasingly extreme]] [[{{Sadist}} forms of stimulation]] to keep himself from depression.
160* In the Creator/StephenKing short story "The Raft" from ''Literature/SkeletonCrew'', the protagonist has sex with his girlfriend. On a raft. In October in New England. [[spoiler: While a [[EldritchAbomination man-eating blob]], that has already eaten their friends, waits for them to drop a hair or a finger in the water]]. It being a King story, guess what happens.
161* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'':
162** Littlefinger sleeps with Lysa Tully after he gets drunk at the feast in which her sister Catelyn's engagement to Brandon Stark is announced. Though it's possible [[BedTrick he might not have known who he was sleeping with.]]
163** King Robb Stark sleeps with Jeyne Westerling after finding out that his little brothers have supposedly been murdered. The next day he marries her to protect her honor. As his hand has already been [[ArrangedMarriage promised as part of a political alliance]], this doesn't end well for anyone.
164* [[HardDrinkingPartyGirl Brett]] from ''Literature/TheSunAlsoRises'' is known for drinking, partying, and sleeping around (despite being 34 and engaged) to cope with the fact that she's been through [[SerialSpouse two failed marriages]], [[OldMaid getting older (and, she fears, less desirable)]], questioning her engagement to Mike, and her tumultuous relationship with Jake.
165* ''{{Literature/Tigana}}'': Dianora and [[spoiler:Baerd]]'s relationship was founded mostly out of their shared pain and loss. Their province just fell to an empire, their father died in the battle, their city is occupied. Even though [[spoiler:they're siblings]] they fall into each other's arms in the aftermath of that. After they first have sex, they say to each other:
166-->'''[[spoiler:Baerd]]''': ''What are we doing?'' What have we done?\
167'''Dianora''': Oh, [[spoiler:Baerd]]. What has been done to us?
168* In ''Literature/AxiomsEnd'''s sequel ''Truth of the Divine'', Cora hits rock bottom emotionally for various reasons, and is taken in by/hooks up with Kaveh, the only person on Earth who can even ''begin'' to relate to what she's going through. It doesn't really help; with her self-esteem where it is, sex just becomes a new source of anxiety for her, and she doesn't start recovering until Kaveh makes her actually start working through her emotional state instead of letting it control her.
169* In the ''Literature/WarchildSeries'', it's stated that jets do this to handle the trauma of battle. Evan, who is not a jet, sleeps around as a way of coping with his PTSD.
170* In ''Literature/WatchersOfTheThrone'', during the [[spoiler:Days of Blindness, Tieron and Jek]] begin sleeping together as a way to stave off the terror they're feeling during that time. They break it off once the immediate crisis passes, though they remain AmicableExes.
171* In ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'', Min asks Rand for some physical comfort after [[spoiler:Harid Fel]] is killed. However unusual a reaction that is to learning of a mentor figure being brutally dismembered, it does cement a RelationshipUpgrade that lasts for the rest of the series.
172* In ''Literature/TheWillOfTheEmpress'', Briar tries to have someone in his bed every night to ward off PTSD-induced nightmares.
173* In ''Wedge's Gamble'' from the ''Literature/XWingSeries'', Erisi Dlarit tries to sleep with Corran Horn on this pretense; to ease his angst. He refrains and [[IdiotBall wanders an enemy-controlled city without watching where he's going]] instead. Probably just as well--rather than getting him captured or killed this leads to [[LuckBasedSearchTechnique unexpected discoveries]]. [[spoiler: Anyway, Erisi is a traitor to the cause.]]
174[[/folder]]
175
176[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
177* ''Series/{{Arrow}}'':
178** At the end of "Heir to the Demon", Oliver Queen and Sara Lance throw themselves at each other after a very stressful day for both of them, rekindling their relationship from six years ago.
179** In "Canaries", Thea Queen is understandably tense because the League of Assassins is hunting her family, she's recently discovered her brother is The Arrow, and she's just walked into the Arrowcave to find an injured Laurel Lance lying on a slab before Oliver barks at her to leave. As Thea does she runs into the cocky handsome DJ who's been hitting on her for the past few episodes, and takes him back to her apartment out of a desire to "keep things simple". Things turn out to be anything but when her lover turns out to be a League member who tries to assassinate Thea shortly after they have sex, only for her to be saved by her ex-boyfriend Roy Harper. A few episodes later after things have gone FromBadToWorse, Roy finds a distraught Thea turning up at his door, and their next scene shows her a lot happier post-coitus.
180* ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}''. Strongly implied with Kara Thrace.
181* ''Series/Batwoman2019''. After the traumatic events of "Through The Looking Glass", Julia Pennyworth finds Kate Kane drinking heavily while [[DeathSeeker sitting on a precarious ledge]] a long way up the side of Wayne Tower. She refuses to leave and they end up sharing a BigDamnKiss, with some strong hints dropped in the next episode that they [[FriendsWithBenefits slept together on a one-off basis]].
182* ''Series/BionicWoman''. After discovering her MadScientist fiancee has turned her into a bionic woman, Jaime Sommers decides to stop looking for Mr. Right and settle for Mr. Right Now. At that moment a handsome stranger catches her eye; SmashCut to them making out in the toilet. Unfortunately, Jaime DoesNotKnowHerOwnStrength and accidentally breaks one of his ribs in her enthusiasm, putting an abrupt end to events.
183* On ''Series/{{Bones}}'' Booth and Brennan's first time together is the night a colleague is murdered. Brennan's staying in Booth's apartment for safety's sake, and during the night, overcome with grief, Brennan comes to Booth's bed. He puts his arms around her as she cries, and you can guess the rest.
184* On ''Series/BostonLegal'', Denise is in a relationship with [[Creator/MichaelJFox a guy with cancer]] who subsequently dies. Afterwards, she confesses to Shirley that ever since then she's been feeling constantly horny. She ends up starting FriendsWithBenefits relationships with ''two'' guys simultaneously.
185* ''Series/{{The Boys|2019}}'':
186** In "Good For The Soul", a guilt-stricken Queen Maeve seeks this from her lesbian ex-girlfriend Elena, but she's still angry over being dumped for the celebrity life of a superhero and is trying to move on, so she rejects her advances. She does try to get Maeve to open up about what's bothering her, but Maeve CannotSpitItOut (or is unwilling to risk her friend's life by doing so) and just leaves.
187** Maeve later hooks up with Elena only to get dumped again. As she's bisexual she seeks solace with a handsome stud, infuriating Ashley when she walks in on them as the Vought publicity machine has marketed Queen Maeve as a lesbian to score diversity points.
188* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'':
189** In Season 6, Buffy suffers from long-term depression after being taken from heaven back into the real world, and so engages in a SecretRelationship with bad-boy vampire Spike--[[AllLoveIsUnrequited who happens to be in love with her]]. Unfortunately, Buffy's guilt over [[LustObject using him]] only makes her feel worse and she eventually breaks off with him, causing Spike to seek solace in the arms of ex-demon Anya, who'd been recently [[RunawayGroom left at the altar by Xander]]. The trope is directly name dropped by Anya in "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS6E18Entropy Entropy]]", when she is confronted by Xander, as she states that the tryst was not an act of revenge but one of ''solace''.
190** When Buffy's mother dies, Angel does a CharacterOverlap in "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS5E17Forever Forever]]" just to comfort her, but has to leave early to [[CantHaveSexEver prevent this trope from happening]].
191* In ''Series/{{Californication}}'', Hank's promiscuity is largely due to his inability to cope with the demise of his romantic relationship with Karen. Also applies somewhat to Charlie in later seasons, after his divorce from Marcy.
192* ''Series/{{Castle|2009}}'': After a very rough day, including [[spoiler:a near-death encounter, a tense break-up with Castle, virtually being kicked off the force, and letting a good lead on her mother's killer get away, Beckett finally confesses her feelings for Castle and throws herself at him]], at the end of the 4th season.
193* ''Series/{{CSINY}}'':
194** After a 10-yr old in his care is killed in a case of wrong place/wrong time, Danny and the boy's mother begin sleeping together as a way of comforting each other.
195** After the death of a colleague, Stella and Adam have a one-night stand. Later at work as things are a bit awkward, they hastily agree that [[LetUsNeverSpeakOfThisAgain it must never, ever happen again.]]
196* ''Series/{{ER}}'': Carol runs to Doug after being denied the chance to be a foster mother to an abandoned girl (because she tried to kill herself the previous year). She tries to kiss him, but he gently rebuffs her, knowing that she's seeking this trope (and among other things, she's ''engaged'').
197%%* Pretty much the central theme of ''Series/{{Fleabag}}''.
198* ''Series/{{Frasier}}'': In "Room Service", Frasier's ex-wife Lilith shows up and reveals her new husband has just left her. Frasier immediately realises she's looking for him to console her, and while he's ''very'' tempted he resolves not to sleep with her. Lilith instead ends up in bed with Niles, who's currently going through his own torturous divorce from [[TheGhost Maris]].
199-->'''Niles:''' We both know why this happened; last night was simply two wounded people overcome with loneliness, confusion and...\
200'''Lilith:''' Tequila shooters.\
201'''Niles:''' Mmm-hmmm.
202* ''Series/{{Friends}}'':
203** Chandler and Monica's first liaison comes about as a result of Monica becoming depressed at Ross's wedding to Emily - his second - while she is still single. Add in a wedding guest thinking that Monica is Ross's ''mother'' and she's not feeling great about herself. When Chandler tells Monica how beautiful she is she throws herself at him, and while it at first looks to be a one-night stand the two of them can't wait to be back in each other's arms. It's the start of what many viewers consider the series' definitive relationship - and certainly its healthiest.
204** Subverted in "The One Where Joey Speaks French" when, after Rachel's father has a heart attack, she turns to Ross for comfort and sex, although Ross rejects her. The next morning Rachel is annoyed as instead of being comforted she was left feeling "stupid and embarrassed".
205--->'''Rachel:''' In the future, when a girl asks for some ill-advised sympathy sex... just do it.
206* ''Series/GossipGirl'''s Chuck Bass. Blair does this as well. So far she has had sex for comfort at least four times.
207* In the German soap opera ''Hand aufs Herz'', Jenny assumes that she and Emma have broken up after having a fight, and Jenny sleeps with Ben for solace. Ben's also miserable about his love life at the time, making it a mutual thing.
208* ''Series/{{Haven}}'':
209** Subverted in season 3. Audrey turns to Duke in season 3 while they're in Colorado following up on a lead for the series' overarching mythology. She stresses about the fact she's going to disappear in three weeks, her identity, and her relationships, before jumping him. It doesn't get beyond an intense kiss, and Duke doesn't push it, despite still having feelings for her. Weirdly, this becomes somewhat of a TrustPassword between them, a SomethingOnlyTheyWouldSay, because they're the only two who knows what did--and didn't--happen in that hotel room.
210** Played straighter in season 5, when Duke is mourning Jennifer and taken advantage of by Mara, who uses the sex ans an opportunity to [[spoiler: turn him into a walking, talking Trouble bomb.]]
211* Thirteen from ''Series/{{House}}'' slid into a downward spiral of partying and drunken one-night-stands with random chicks due to being unable to deal with her Huntington's disease.
212* ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'': This is how [[spoiler:Barney and Robin]] hook up. She was depressed over her high school boyfriend dumping her ''again'' (in the same situation, for the same girl, and for the same reason as the first time), and he made her feel better after she broke down crying. Coitus proceeded to ensue. Though a one-night stand at the time, [[SexEqualsLove he eventually sought to make it more than that]].
213* In the ''Series/KnightRider'' remake, Mike's LoveInterest Sarah is grieving after the death of her father. Mike is trying to get her to return to work with him and KITT, but Sarah would rather lounge on the beach than face reality. Just as Mike, exasperated, is about to leave, she tells him she doesn't want to spend the night alone. Coitus ensues. However, this isn't their first time (she was his girlfriend before he was shipped out to Iraq), and neither does it signal a renewed relationship.
214* ''Series/{{Lost}}'': After seeing Jack flirting with Juliet, Kate goes straight to Sawyer and jumps him at his tent. He sees her subtly crying and puts two and two together but goes with it anyway.
215* Mentioned the ''Series/LostGirl'' episode "Lachlan's Gambit". Lauren is grieving over [[spoiler:Nadia]]'s death and she even gives a scientific reason for this, but ultimately subverts it.
216-->'''Lauren:''' Can I sleep with you?\
217'''Bo:''' Yes.\
218'''Lauren:''' I just mean sleep. ''[Bo's face falls a little]'' In your arms?\
219'''Bo:''' ... yeah exactly.
220* Subverted in ''Series/{{Lucifer}}''. Chloe tries this with Lucifer after Dan [[spoiler: apparently]] breaks up with her via SMS. Lucifer surprises himself by not taking advantage of the fact that she is drunk.
221* Happens in Season 6 of ''Series/MadMen'' where after helping Stan recover from [[ItMakesSenseInContext a dart injury]], Peggy receives a kiss from him and gently chides him for coming on to her ("You're lucky I don't like beards"), he then told her the reason he's been taking so much hard drugs: his cousin died in Vietnam, Peggy then voices she experienced loss and that one has to own that loss and not numb it with one-night stands and drugs, from her perspective it just seems he's still being his usual horny self (he gives a longing look at her when she walks away); she then discovers him having sex with the grieving hippie, teenage daughter of a late partner and disappointedly goes home.
222* ''Series/MiamiVice:'' After [[spoiler:Zito's death]] in "Down for the Count," Trudy has sex with a man she hasn't seen in five years because she doesn't want to be alone. It doesn't make her feel any better.
223* ''Series/{{Nashville}}'': A lot of characters experience emotional trauma and have sex to try to help with that, with sometimes disastrous results, as Juliette can attest to, as she has done things like sleep around, drink, and jump off the slippery slope when her sometimes traumatic life becomes too much to bear.
224* ''Series/NewGirl'': Jess's new roommates decide that the first order of business is to help her find a man to use for a rebound, for which they give her extensive coaching.
225* ''Series/OrangeIsTheNewBlack'': Numerous people in the show are hurting something fierce, owed in part to the prison setting and the drama experienced there, or just how much some of the characters lives sucked out of prison, and they long for love and touch from another person. Piper herself says she can't survive in prison and life without having someone to love and hold, and switches back and forth between sex with her male fiance, her one time girlfriend Stella, and her past girlfriend Alex, [[spoiler: who she does actually end up with at the end]]. She wonders if Prison compels her to act like a worse version of herself by relentlessly on and off pursuing people she cares about and developing sadistic tendencies, or if she was always that way. Also, after Alex is essentially dumped by Piper for her original fiance; she immediately goes to Nicky for some sexual solace. Nicky also seeks out girls for sex to help with her personal issues, and she is a HopelessSuitor for the straight Morella so her unrequited feelings cause her pain which she seeks to numb through relationships with other girls. Another flashback in season 5 had Alex drowning her sorrows over her love pain with Piper when the latter broke her heart. A Frenchman sits at the bar next to her and recounts his own love pain: his wife slept with multiple people and then married one of them and in response, he drinks heavily and sleeps with many women to try to forget the love pain. Although as he says talking about it and hearing about other people's love pain helps.
226* ''Series/ThePunisher2017''. Dinah Madani is at home suffering from depression after her partner is killed due to [[ItsAllMyFault an operation she planned]], so she makes immediate advances on her boyfriend Billy Russo when he comes round. Even though he's portrayed as TheCasanova Billy turns her down, saying sex is not going to make her problems go away.
227* Averted with a lampshade on an episode of ''Series/RemingtonSteele''. After Remington comforts Laura in the aftermath of a personal tragedy, in which this trope does not occur, Laura comments on what might have happened. Remington, a ''gentleman'' rogue, finds the notion of them ending their [[UnresolvedSexualTension UST]] that way offensive.
228* {{Implied}} in the ''Series/{{Roseanne}}'' revival, where it's noted that Becky has had [[ReallyGetsAround a lot of flings]] since [[TheCharacterDiedWithHim Mark died]], but no real relationships, since she's never found anybody she likes as much as him. After the episode "Eggs Over, Not Easy" she seems to be trying to get over this.
229* ''Series/Scoundrels2010'':
230** Tanya rather desperately offers this to Cal after Billy's death, but he's not interested.
231-->'''Tanya:''' I know you have a lot on your mind, but I did want to mention that I'm currently single, and I wanted you to know that I'm here for you, to comfort you in any way you need comforting morning, noon, night, the morning after!
232** Hope uses this as an excuse when she kissed Tad for the first time.
233-->'''Hope:''' Don't people do this sort of thing at funerals to, you know, affirm life?
234* In ''Series/{{Smallville}}'', [[spoiler:this is how both of Chloe's sexual relationships and eventually (dubious) marriages start.]] In season two, [[spoiler:she had a (off-screen) summer fling with Jimmy after she broke up with Clark,]] and in season nine, [[spoiler:is StrangledByTheRedString with Oliver once Jimmy died.]]
235* In the pilot of ''Series/SomethingIsOutThere'', telepathic spacewoman Ta'Ra is exasperated by how human cop Jack Breslin is [[DirtyMindReading constantly fantasizing about her]]. However when Breslin is depressed because his partner was murdered by the MonsterOfTheWeek, she kisses him and it's implied they have sex (It's this trope for her as well as her previous lover was killed by the same alien monster).
236-->'''Breslin:''' What did you do that for?
237-->'''Ta'Ra:''' Because you wanted me to.
238* ''Series/StarTrekPicard'': In "[[Recap/StarTrekPicardS1E06TheImpossibleBox The Impossible Box]]", after murdering [[spoiler:Maddox]], Jurati sleeps with Rios, although he naturally thinks it's because she's upset about her ex-boyfriend's death.
239* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'': Dean and Sam have had flings and relationships that ended badly due to their hunting lifestyle. It's implied to be because of their lifestyle (they are constantly on the move and in danger), why they seek out sex with women so much and to feel validated.
240** Ruby kisses Sam when he is at his lowest and most vulnerable point in the wake of Dean's death, to prove to him that he still has her, at least. He tries to put some distance between them and rebukes her, but she keeps pushing it until he gives in, kisses her back (rather desperately), and has violent, desperate, hair-pulling sex with her. Rather than this showing two people coming together for comfort, it just goes to show how Sam has hit rock-bottom after Dean died. Sera Gamble even compared it to self-mutilating and calling it getting dressed for the prom.
241* ''Series/SwitchedAtBirth'': Emmett is completely hysterical about his father giving up custodial rights, and is incredibly angry at his girlfriend Bay for interfering. Simone, meanwhile, is bummed out about her basketball tournament loss and her boyfriend Toby not trusting her. Both Emmett and Simone are out of town and coincidentally staying at the same hotel, and run into each other at the ice machine. She invites him to her room, and you can guess the rest.
242* On ''Series/That70sShow,'' Donna's parents go through a long period of strain before her mom suddenly up and moves across the country. Immediately after, Donna has sex (twice) with Eric, her ex-boyfriend/now-platonic-friends-no-really. It turns out to be kind of a bummer for Eric, who thought this meant that she actually wanted to get back together with him.
243[[/folder]]
244
245[[folder:Music]]
246* Music/ColdChisel's "Khe Sanh" describes a UsefulNotes/VietnamWar veteran suffering from PTSD, who engages in this.
247* {{Music/Halsey}}'s song "Strangers" is about a romance she had while trying to get over a long-term relationship. Ironically, the bridge makes it clear that both girls feel more than ''just'' this, but won't admit it because they both think the other doesn't care.
248--->''We're not lovers, we're just strangers with the same damn hunger to be touched, to be loved, to feel anything at all.''
249** On the same album, "I find myself alone at night, unless I'm having sex" from "100 Letters" implies this.
250* "Out in the Cold" by Music/JudasPriest is this trope incarnate.
251* [[IsntItIronic Although it has a legacy of being one of the sauciest songs ever made]], [[Music/TheDownwardSpiral "Closer"]] by Music/NineInchNails is a brutal deconstruction of this trope if taken in the album's context, and describes how one must be thoroughly broken emotionally and have an overwhelmingly negative view of themselves to indulge in this. Overall, it's far more an ObsessionSong than an IntercourseWithYou type of song.
252* The theme appears in several songs off ''Music/CarrieAndLowell'' by Music/SufjanStevens, most notably in "No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross":
253--->''Like a champion, get drunk to get laid.''
254* The Vaccines' song [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Post Break-Up Sex.]]
255-->''I can barely look at you''
256-->''Don't tell me who you lost it to''
257-->''Didn't we say we had a deal?''
258-->''Didn't I say how bad I'd feel?''
259* Tove Lo's "Habits (Stay High)" is about a self-destructive way of getting over one. Amongst the various ways to do so is this trope.
260* In Emmy The Great's "Edward Is Dedward", she hooks up with a friend after the titular Edward's funeral... in Edward's bed. Apparently Edward is a real friend of hers, but not really dead. That sure is a good way of putting a guy off ''ever'' dying.
261[[/folder]]
262
263[[folder:Theater]]
264* In ''Theatre/ArtusExcalibur'', Artus' preoccupation with his war for revenge is what drives Guinevere into Lancelot's arms. [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone Everyone involved has immediate regrets.]]
265* In ''Theatre/LadyWindermeresFan'', Lady Windermere, mistakenly thinking her husband is cheating on her, resolves in a moment of despair to go to her other lover, Lord Darlington.
266* ''Theatre/MissSaigon''. Chris grabs his wife Ellen and kisses her passionately, having just awakened from a nightmare about his lost love Kim. It's not hard to imagine that he's trying to invoke this trope.
267* Theatre/AStreetcarNamedDesire: Immediately following the event of her husband committing suicide after she told him that he disgusted her because she had found him in bed with a man, Blanche was subjected to a series of deaths in her family and the ultimate loss of the ancestral home. They illustrated the ugliness and brutality of life. To escape from these brutalities and to escape from the lonely void created by her young husband's death, Blanche turned to alcohol and sexual promiscuity. She had an affair with a student at a school where she was a teacher. It is why she lost her job.
268[[/folder]]
269
270[[folder:Video Games]]
271* In ''Videogame/Fallout4'', the [[PlayerCharacter Sole Survivor's]] husband/wife is murdered in the introduction to the game, and they are clearly emotionally distraught by this. They can later romance and sleep with one or more of their companions, which can come off as this, especially since several of the dialogue options can have the Survivor still be emotionally shaken and grieving over their spouse's death.
272* In ''VideoGame/HeavyRain'', Ethan can have an OptionalSexualEncounter with Madison when he is approaching the DespairEventHorizon over the events of the game. It's actually Sex For Solace for her respect as well, as she's been attacked by a serial killer and nearly raped at gunpoint during the preceding day.
273* ''Franchise/MassEffect'':
274** In ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' the option to have a one-night stand with [[AxCrazy Jack]] can unlock for a male Shepard right after [[ThatOneLevel Horizon]] with some careful timing. Why is this considered solace? Because you could potentially get dumped by [[FirstGirlWins Ashley]] on Horizon, probably even in Jack's presence.
275*** Additionally, Jack is not the most emotionally stable and has a past of sexual abuse and emotional manipulation so it can be seen as solace from her end as well. This is a stark contrast to the Paragon version of the culmination of her romance path, which the hottest action the player can get is cuddling as a price of an emotionally-charged scene that features how much Jack tears down her barriers to show how she cares for Shepard.
276** In ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'', by the end, [[ShellShockedVeteran Shepard]] is having frequent nightmares and [[HeroicFatigue is visibly worn down]]. Shepard's sex scene before the final mission can be seen as this.
277* ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDeadSeasonTwo': In ''Amid the Ruins'', [[spoiler: Luke and Jane have sex while observing for walkers and in doing so, they miss a hoard of zombies that nearly kills the Cabin Survivors, Mike, and Jane (the only fatality can be Sarah but her fate is determinant). Although remorseful for nearly getting everyone killed, he emphasizes that it was an offer from Jane that he couldn't refuse because he was deeply stressed out from the apocalypse, Carver, and the deaths of his fellow survivors]].
278--> '''Luke''': [[spoiler: Well, comin' down on me isn't helping. Look, I'm sorry, okay? I fucked up... but y'know what? Jane, she made an offer and... Jesus Christ, I needed it, okay. I mean look around you, okay? Everything is SHIT. So forgive me for wantin' to enjoy ONE MOMENT of somethin' else!]]
279[[/folder]]
280
281[[folder:Visual Novels]]
282* After the protagonist of ''VisualNovel/DaughterForDessert'' hears about Amanda's attraction to him from Kathy, he tells her what he's heard, and promises to help her explore what they discovered about each other. Then, they make love. Justified, since Amanda already came on to him before.
283* Played with in a few instances in ''VisualNovel/DoubleHomework'':
284** In the protagonist's and Tamara's relationship, the Barbarossa incident is hinted at (and sometimes more than that) in binding the two of them together.
285** With the protagonist and Rachel, the familiarity of it is something that the former can bring over from his former life before the Barbarossa incident.
286** Ms. Walsh seeks out sex, first with “Jailson Mendes,” whom she meets online and then openly with the protagonist, to deal with her dissatisfaction with her job.
287* In ''VisualNovel/KatawaShoujo'', [[spoiler:Misha tries to seduce her best friend Shizune's boyfriend [[PlayerCharacter Hisao]] because she's depressed and looking for comfort over the fact that she loves Shizune and knows she can never have her (while Shizune and Hisao have already had TheirFirstTime). The self-contradiction here should tell you why "comforting" her is a terrible idea]]. Even worse, [[spoiler: the sexual act is very painful for Misha. They don't get caught, but they both fall into depression over the guilt of betraying Shizune. Topping it off, choosing to comfort her triggers the route's BadEnding]].
288* ''VisualNovel/{{Melody}}'':
289** The protagonist and Isabella can have sex to get over their respective breakups. Lampshaded by Isabella when she says that neither of them is “in the best place right now.”
290** Melody, right after her breakup with Steve (and he kept her prized guitar), had sex with Sophia.
291* Haruki does this with Chiaki during Chiaki's route in ''VisualNovel/WhiteAlbum2''. Angry and frustrated, he accepts Chiaki's teasing offer during Christmas. They end up having sex at his apartment ''for a whole week after''.
292[[/folder]]
293
294[[folder:Web Comics]]
295* ''Webcomic/MenageA3'': Matt demonstrates a slightly unusual variant on several occasions. He usually sleeps around on a whim without regard for how his actions affect others. However, he [[LadykillerInLove does sometimes fall for his partners, notably Kiley]], and when those relationships break up he can seem genuinely heartbroken. But his response to such heartbreak seems to be to have sex with someone else, for solace. The seriousness of his feelings for Kiley can be measured by the fact that he gets some partners (male and female) to wear a wig resembling Kiley's hair.
296* Referenced and averted in ''Webcomic/QuestionableContent'', after Dora breaks up with Marten…
297-->'''[[TheCasanova Sven]]:''' Oh, and if you need some meaningless rebound sex, I know TONS of slutty chicks who'll--\
298'''Marten:''' OKAY THANK YOU BYE!
299* ''Webcomic/SaturdayMorningBreakfastCereal'': {{Discussed|Trope}} by a suicide hotline which [[https://www.smbc-comics.com/?id=1492 talks people down]] by making callers imagine this happening to [[ParentalSexualitySquick their grieving mothers]].
300* In ''Webcomic/SequentialArt'', [[http://www.collectedcurios.com/sequentialart.php?s=782 Hillary, sobbing, says she's not asking for much, just some sympathy -- cut to the two characters in bed.]]
301* ''Ship In a Bottle'': Reversed. While the fact that she was a seductive buck-naked genie seemed to be all the incentive Allan needed to sleep with Shiphrah in the first issue, he was quick to blame the encounter on his grief about his recently-deceased grampa in the immediate aftermath, as an excuse to [[SexChangesEverything back out of a relationship with her]].
302* In ''Webcomic/SomethingPositive,'' [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Davan]]'s old friend Scotty kills himself when his longtime off-and-on girlfriend, Donna, [[SpurnedIntoSuicide breaks up with him]]. Donna feels guilty and thinks everyone else blames her, Davan was also mourning and assures her that it wasn't her fault, and, well… When they meet again a few years later, Davan winds up having to take a DaddyDNATest.
303* ''Webcomic/{{Subnormality}}'' has "[[http://www.viruscomix.com/page505.html A Christmas Eve in the Future]]", in which a man walks into a Sex Stop ("Serving all genders since 2130!") looking for this.
304[[/folder]]
305
306[[folder:Web Original]]
307* From the 10 Commandments for Pilots:
308--> Thou shalt cast thine eyes to thy right and also to thy left as thou passeth through the firmament lest thy fellow pilots bring flowers to thy widow and [[ComfortingTheWidow comfort her in other ways]].
309* PlayedWith in ''WebVideo/CriticalRole'' when Percy and [[OneSceneWonder Lilith]] vanish after an evening that has been traumatic for both of them and the other characters assume they are doing this. [[spoiler:Subverted, as it turns out: Lilith has [[ButNowIMustGo left in the night]], leaving only a note, and Percy has locked himself in his workshop to have a minor HeroicBSOD.]] Grog remains convinced the two are...consoling each other even ''after'' finding Lilith's note.
310[[/folder]]
311
312[[folder:Western Animation]]
313* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Archer}}'', Lana had sex with the eponymous protagonist after he asked for it because Archer learned he [[spoiler:had cancer]].
314** In the second season finale Archer's fiance Katya sacrifices herself to try and take out Barry (who survives). The third season opens with Archer having run away to, as his mother puts it, "grief-bang the entire Pacific Rim". Archer shamelessly admits that his tragic story turned out to be extremely useful for getting women into bed with him.
315* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' has Quagmire, who constantly sleeps around after losing his chances with TheOneThatGotAway.
316* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' episode, [[Recap/FuturamaM2TheBeastWithABillionBacks "The Beast With A Billion Backs"]], Zapp manages to manipulate Amy into having sex with him after [[spoiler: Kif dies]]. This is made even worse when [[spoiler: Kif [[BackFromTheDead comes back to life and finds out.]]]]
317-->'''Kif:''' Perhaps you should see the meaning of "Fon-fon-ru!" It means "one who doesn't sleep with my superior officer!" That's the literal translation!
318[[/folder]]

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