Science means curiosity, an interest in the relationship between cause and effect, and the pursuit of knowledge to uncover previously unexplainable connections. Above all, it requires an openness to new ideas. Gaining knowledge is achieved through observing processes, understanding relationships, and establishing regularities.
The PSSD community emerged from individuals who observed that were previously unknown to them. Formation of the PSSD community: In everyday life, some individuals observed symptoms that were previously unknown to them. All affected individuals share the commonality that shortly before or during the onset of the first symptoms, they were administered certain psychopharmacological drugs. This group of individuals connected through the internet.
It is widely known that these medications cause a large portion of the symptoms during administration, which persist in affected individuals even after discontinuation. Hence, a correlation can be assumed between the administration of psychopharmacological drugs and the persistent symptoms.
Goals and interests: PSSD Hilfe Deutschland e.V. also suspect a connection between the intake of certain antidepressants and the symptoms. Due to the largely unexplored connections and lack of studies, other influencing factors cannot be ruled out.
Our interest is not in enforcing our assumption, but rather in the unbiased, scientific, and above all open-ended examination of possible causes. Additionally, we aim to raise awareness of existing symptoms and encourage qualified individuals to engage with the topic from a scientific perspective.
Prejudiced judgments: However, what is currently happening is that individuals affected by PSSD are not taken seriously, and their prior mental illnesses are used as a justification to dismiss their symptoms. Often, psychosomatics are referenced without further investigation, and long-term medication damage is categorically ruled out without further examination. Such an approach does not meet the standards of modern science.
This is where we come in, to achieve an appropriate approach to PSSD.
(c) Philip Wilde, 2019
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