The case for PSSD

[raven100]

So we all know we have PSSD because we have it, but a lot of the time it is difficult to articulate to medical professionals just why we are so sure. So I was thinking that in this thread maybe we could collaboratively come up with a concise way to explain very clearly just how we know we have PSSD. What our main points are, what the best studies to cite are etc:

I'll start with a few points:
Over a period of a fortnight following discontinuation of the drugs my mind shifted from it's normal state into the state it currently it is in now. I never suffered from any of the symptoms I attribute to the drugs before I took the drugs.

All the symptoms I experienced after discontinuation were on the SSRI label as potential withdrawal symptoms. I didn't know this at the time so if it was my mind that was responsible for creating the symptoms and not the drugs that would be some coincidence.

I spent 4 months doing everything I could do to get better including good sleep pattern, diet and exercise because I was told online that it helped withdrawal, and I expected to get better within a few months as is the norm. I was in no way depressed like I am now yet I didn't improve.

Towards the end of this period I stumble across the forums, where 1000s of other people are reporting my exact same problem, my same symptoms, everything. Is this really another coincidence? Similar symptoms have been reported from even more people who have stopped taking a hair loss drug, which for some reason has a similar method of action to SSRIs[? not sure about this]

There is nothing in the medical literature that shows a causal link between poor mental health and some of the physical symptoms I have, e.g. genital anaesthesia.

The SSRI label states that persistent discontinuation syndrome is possible, they mention all the mental side effects using the very vague term 'cognitive issues'

There are now numerous studies showing a causal link between SSRIs and the symptoms we suffer from.

[mxh]

There is nothing in the medical literature that shows a causal link between poor mental health and some of the physical symptoms I have, e.g. genital anaesthesia.

Yes, well, it shows that by far the most psychiatric practitioners aren't scientists in any way, but are basically clueless, and acting as nothing more than authoritarian care handlers, and doing the equivalent of saying, "Woah, you're sick, dude". And are basing all their conclusions on the semantic ambiguity of words like that.

The conclusion in this case (very common) even functions as nothing more than "bullying", as one would expect from such a trivial context, as in saying, "yeah, it figures you'd have that, because you're weird". And if one disagrees with any of their jumping to conclusions or vagueness, their go-to reaction is, "yeah, it figures YOU'D say that". And aside from the implied tone of voice there is no joke about this.


But more on-topic: Sorry, I'd have to think about this again, I just found this a bit amusing... (And I'm basically looking for experimentation or data-threads.)

One approach I like to take is the fact that sexual side-effects are widely verified (ranging from over 10% or 20% to over 70%, perhaps even over 90% depending on particular medication), even if not permanent ones on the same scale. And that they are evidently the ones engaging in baseless speculation, and purely circular reasoning and trying to take refuge in vague words like "mental illness", which has never been verified to work in exactly such a way. Aside from there having been no effect BEFORE the treatment, nothing even close ever in one's life. (With anhedonia and anorgasmia, which is a "climax" which seems to shut off all feeling, more than just a "crappy" or weak one. In fact, some processes may still work on, strongly enough, in the background for the duration...)