PSSD Name / Definition

[Chuck83]

Saw Palmetto can cause this too???

Yes because is 5AR inhibitors like finasteride.

[DrugsAreBad]

OP:s reasoning is correct, but a name change isn't helpful. Coming up with more names would cause fragmentation. Let's keep the search terms down to a minimum.

[link11]

Whilst PSSD is a great name for the condition, I just feel it does not do enough to signify the emotional loss that is experienced with SSRI'S.

I don't have PSSD strictly speaking but have anhedonia and emotional numbness. Therefore the term PSSD does not really apply to myself and others I know.

Maybe a more inclusive title would be "Post SSRI sexual(and) emotional dysfunction" or PSSED.

As I know many with PSSD have this too actually.

I know it looks like the word "pissed" but actually that does a lot to summarize how everyone feels at the way this has just been swept under the carpet. It could even attract more attention perhaps.

I don't know who first coined the term PSSD but I do know the anhedonia and emotional numbing sides of this need major recognition.

If not then maybe a new term should be created to address the other side of it. Something like "drug induced anhedonia" or DIA.

[Meso]

True. There are emotional, cognitive, and hedonistic dysfunction as well. It should be named Post-SSRI syndrome (PAS), or something. But PSSD has already stuck so it's more practical to call it just that. :/

[Ghost]

http://www.pssdforum.com/viewtopic.php? ... PSS#p23270
http://www.pssdforum.com/viewtopic.php? ... =PSS#p8188

Topics have been merged. My view now is the same as it was then:

I can see some merit in this. It seems that PSSD is simply one of the many persistent symptoms that can occur after taking an SSRI. So it would seem that it's a category of the overall problems caused by SSRIs.

That said, I don't think that PSSD's name should be changed. Becuase PSSD is sexual dysfunction in particular that is caused by an SSRI. There are many people who have "PSS" as you'd call it, but they don't matriculate to these forums becuase they might have mostly emotional changes, mood changes, or another type of sexual dysfunction such as PGAD.

PSSD also has scientific literature that calls it by name. This literature might be limited, but I don't think changing it would a) honestly be successful (PSSD is a name that's been used by a generation of sufferers and is used throughout the internet) or b) do anything more than confuse a lot of people researching and learning about PSSD.

The sad thing is that while PSSD is relatively easy to spot in animal models, other symptoms might be harder to see. For example, it might be easy to count the number of seconds that it takes a male mouse to mount a female, but probably would be much harder to calculate the emotional capacity of said mouse on a measurable scale.

I see a strong need for sufferers of "PSS" to find a community that pushes for their recovery, but don't think that it necessitates changing the name of PSSD.

If PSS is a collection of all alcoholic drinks, then I'd see PSSD as wine. A drinker can have more than one kind in an evening, but by losing the distinction between wine and beer, more is lost than gained.

[omar90]

I think if we start a foundation at some point (which I guess requires a lot of money and will power) we should really have this discussion properly. I would be fully supportive of a foundation named the Post SSRI syndrome foundation and then make PSSD the most common and easily identifiable symptom.

The need for a change in definition has become even more obvious to me since communicating with the EMA, MHRA, the media and other campaign groups. Every time I explain the condition in emails I have to sate that PSSD is not just a sexual condition but has other 'associated' symptoms such as anhedonia, emotional numbing etc. Its messy and appears unconvincing and invariably leads to these aspects being totally ignored by anyone i've had correspondence with.

I understand the argument that PSSD is used in the literature but given that there is so little literature on PSSD now might be the best time to change the term before we get more scientific recognition in future years.