While I believe strongly in the existence of PSSD, I know that I sit in a special situation as the owner of the largest PSSD forum and information site (Yes, right here at the lab). I am not a medical professional (please review the site disclaimer before continuing), and my fear with posting any information is that I don’t trust anyone.
So why the hell should you trust me?
In this day and age, you can find anything on the internet. Do your research, and come to your own conclusions. I have never “cured” a case of PSSD, but I have given people the tools to overcome their PSSD and watched them recover. I believe that no one learns to think for themselves these days – an incredibly dangerous habit.
I digress.
Nothing would make me sadder than learning of someone who thought they had PSSD for years, but were actually suffering from something else (I’ll get into this below). Not every person who has ever touched an SSRI and developed sexual dysfunction has PSSD. Not by a long shot.
People ask me: “Do I have PSSD?! Will I ever have sex again?! WHAT CAN I DO?!?!” I can hear the frantic, obsessive, and anxious thoughts whipping through their heads.
You need to silence those thoughts and think. If your life is a movie and you think you have PSSD, this is the scene where you lock yourself in the room, slump behind the door with your head in your hands, and you think. Take a hike from the forums and sites for as long as you can. Yes, we will take you back at any time.
Before you do this PSSD-vacation, get some data. This data will help you think clearly about the problem while you are away.
First, you’re not alone.
The Cleveland Clinic estimates that 31% of men, and 43% of women, struggle with sexual dysfunction. Next time you’re stuck in traffic, think about that. Nearly 4 out of every 10 cars you see contains someone struggling like you, and many never took an SSRI.
Sexual Dysfunction can be caused by many factors. You can’t tell me, or anyone else, that you have PSSD until you remove the other possible causes. Let’s break sexual dysfunction into a few categories:
Psychological: Anxiety, Depression, Stress, Relationship Issues.
Hormonal: Hormonal irregularities or damage to structures releasing these hormones.
Neurological: Damage to sexual parts of brain, or to the nerves throughout the body.
Physical: Physical damage or blockage that prevents function of genitalia.
These categories aren’t mutually exclusive. For example, a neurological problem could lead to lack of sexual thoughts, and therefore blood flow to sex organs. This would trigger a physical problem as the genitals no longer have correct flow of blood. These symptoms could cause anxiety surrounding performance. This performance anxiety could release stress hormones that lead to the shutdown of sex hormone synthesis. You can see how all four categories can quickly be enlisted, and the problem complicated.
In this guide, I will walk you through steps you can take to adress each possible cause of your sexual dysfunction, and possible PSSD. At this time, you can also read our FAQs.
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PSSD LAB 