Ghost Intro

[Juvo]

No, I'm the same as when I started. I'm at the level where I can function well enough sometimes, but it's not the same and doesn't feel the same either. I've gotten better at dealing with it though.

Did your libido slowly improve or was that not really affected?

I'm at the point where naked women do nothing for me

[Ghost]

I've always had a pretty decent libido, but it's the erections that lack behind. Before PSSD, I probably could have had sex with just about any girl, but with PSSD I need to be really really attracted to the girl, and also comfortable with her. I usually only would do it with girls that I have feelings for too.

I've also lost a lot of confidence. I might be scared of getting involved with someone because of PSSD, and that would make me less in the mood to have libido. But that doesn't mean that it's not there for me (and quite strong) at some times.

[Kk88]

What about physical feeling and ghost? Like...you can get an erection, but does build up and orgasm feel good? To liken my situation to if I was a guy, I think I could get hard and ejaculate, but all lack pleasure apart from probably about 5% please at orgasm. Build up is completely void of all good feelings

[Ghost]

Orgasm is very good still. Penis is numbed, but the orgasm still feels great. Buildup doesn't feel the same at all for me however.

I can get erections usually, but they are slower to come, not as hard, and I have soft glans (the tip doesn't fill with blood like it used to).

[raven100]

It's weird how our symptoms belong to the same family but can manifest in very different ways. I have erection and orgasm issues too, but have had months where they are 95% better (journalled in detail but can't seen a pattern), libido and anhedonia have been consistently awful

[DoIt]

I also have soft glans and I don't understand the biological cause behind it. The bottom part is sometimes very hard but the tip still soft...

[Juvo]

I would describe mine as being centered around libido. If that's there, at least enough to facilitate activity, everything works as it should (albeit maybe minor numbness).

I know what ghost means about losing confidence. It happened to me too. I look back on the days when I actively pursued women and not surprisingly I that transfered to other areas as well. Drive at work and school. Perhaps it's a male issue as virility and sexual prowess seem to be so synonymous with success as a male.

[Kk88]

The confidence thing makes me think of things I've read in no fap communities. They suggest that no fap helps make them more confident, driven and focused. Because they're not fapping their sexual desire builds and this gives them this drive. For us, we don't have sexual desire so there's a link there.

I think there are definite neurotransmitter links (e.g. Dopamine being responsible for goal driven behaviour) but also psych factors like if you don't have sexual drive you don't have other drives

[Bigmum]

This is not about sex drive in terms desire... I ve got desire but my body just doesn't respond... It stricte chemical proces

[Ghost]

And I use loss of confidence as a term very separate from something like performance anxiety. For example, I might fantasize about a girl, but not have the confidence to talk to her because of PSSD. Even if I'm not worried about being able to have sex with her, I have something almost like a shame towards my own PSSD. Obviously, anxiety during intercourse will lead to sexual problems even in people without PSSD, but I have had problems in the lack of anxiety and depression, and that damages confidence in myself as a person.