Psychology Today, Jan 20, 2022: Diagnosing Long-Term Sexual Dysfunction from SSRIs

[anacleta]

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog ... tion-ssris

[anacleta]

The subtitle sounds strange and I don't know if it's a mistake...
And there is a reference to a study with amineptine, in Spanish, which I don't know.
Do you think the estimates of possible prevalence are well-founded or has there been confusion with sexual dysfunction during treatment?

[sopgirl]

The subtitle sounds strange and I don't know if it's a mistake...
And there is a reference to a study with amineptine, in Spanish, which I don't know.
Do you think the estimates of possible prevalence are well-founded or has there been confusion with sexual dysfunction during treatment?

Yes, I think the figure refers to people who develop sexual dysfunction whilst on the drug. I was speaking to a doctor who believes in PSSD and I asked him what he thinks the true prevalence of PSSD is. He said we have no idea, and even hypothesized that SSRI could cause a subclinical PSSD- we have no idea if people recover full sexual function after stopping SSRIs.

This is what is so ridiculous about PSSD- most people who use SSRIs have sexual dysfunction as a side effect which we assume goes once the drug is stopped. Compare this to tardive dyskinesia: a VISIBLE side effect that is ALWAYS considered harmful. As soon as it is noticed, the drug will be ceased/swapped. The sexual dysfunction with SSRIs is only acknowledged if we complain about it, and then regarded as normal and temporary... until it doesn't go away. Oops.