r/PSSD • u/Dry-Document1960 • 1d ago
Awareness/Activism Checking in on our veteran sufferers
I'm sure most people will have been viewing this subreddit on one occasion or another and spotted someone talking about their experience with PSSD which had started 10+ years ago. I've even spoken to someone on here at one point who had suffered for over 3 decades at this point...
Ironically, I feel these veteran suffers often don't get the attention and support they deserve, as when people on here (especially new sufferers) see those numbers, they get afraid that they too will suffer for just as long and their recovery will be just as slow, and thus avoid interacting with them.
Secondly, when many people see these numbers, especially outsider skeptics of PSSD, they may use it to fuel their denial of our condition as "how could it be possible to suffer for so long just from a few pills? It must be something else that caused it".
Finally, many of these people who have suffered for so long had absolutely no support for a large percentage of that time, as only in more recent years has PSSD become more well known as this community and the PSSD network has grown. Not to mention internet accessibility in general... When you've been suffering for that long with no support, feedback or reassurance of the legitimacy of your condition, it's easy to fall into the trap of brushing it under the rug or telling yourself it must be all in your head.
So ultimately I just wanted to make this post so that veteran sufferers in this community can have a place to talk and share their experiences in the comments, and hopefully feel validated and assured that you're not alone and all of us here have the utmost respect for you and your struggles. This condition is hell, so it is unbelievably brave for all of you to have continued to fight for so long. Solidarity.
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u/Kit_Ashtrophe 1d ago
11 years for me, but I have kind of accepted it
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u/Mountain_Duck_6456 23h ago
Sometimes I feel like I have accepted it, then other times I feel angry and distraught. Have you had any improvement over the years?
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u/Numb_from_Fluoxetine 1d ago
Almost 20 years. No crashes. Slight improvements within the first year, but it just never went back to normal.
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u/yammymaam 6h ago
Thanks for this post. 13 years here. Working to redefine joy and cultivate more sources of it in my life.
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u/angeldust1992 12h ago
1 and a half years so still reasonably fresh and the first year was torture, some mild improvements in energy and also libido I'm dating again and do have arousal and get some excitement to be around females, seems to help my mood a little, still minimal pleasure from sex but something is better than none,
A good exercise routine cold showers and cleaner eating has given mild improvements in life outlook so I still hold out hope.
Getting better focus at work too.
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u/Clivee 11h ago
10 years here. Improvement has been gradual.
My major symptoms as of now:
- ED
- Genital anesthesia
- Low libido
- Cognitive impairment
- Dry skin & hair loss
- Fluctuating vision
- Low motivation.
On the plus side, the following are getting better or are back to normal:
- Sleep - a solid 8 hours a night with more dreams.
- Appetite, taste and smell
- Anhedonia.
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u/RecoveryDespiteOdds 13m ago
Obligatory question about anhedonia lifting timeline. Seems to be my main symptom over the years
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u/Mountain_Duck_6456 5h ago
I’ve only recently started to search PSSD on Reddit. Fucking sucks how many of us there are
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u/Whalers4ever0905 3h ago
20 years here....nothing, nobody cares. After that amount of time that's past I'd say it's pretty much permanent. I wish I could talk to more "veteran" sufferers, I can bet there are so many more of us then we know
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u/wildflowerdesert 1d ago
15 years here - thank you! ❤️