Finn*, 23, Sertraline

When I realized I had PSSD, I had strong suicidal thoughts

>> Read this story in English.My name is Finn*, I am 23 years old and have had PSSD for a year. Since I had always suffered from anxiety attacks and psychotherapy had only limited help, I consulted a psychiatrist. He prescribed me the drug escitalopram for my fears. After the first dose I noticed reduced genital sensation and a reduced libido. Surprisingly, I felt much better after the first dose and my mood improved immediately. I then took the drug for 5 days, but then stopped it because the sexual restrictions bothered me. After the half-life was over, everything was back to normal, but I also had slight withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, tiredness and bad mood. Since the fears were particularly strong afterwards, I wanted to try another drug again. This was then sertraline. With that, too, I had genital numbness after the first dose. In addition, everything turned around and I realized that my feelings were suddenly deadened. "I felt strange, not like myself anymore." I also got dry skin and hair, tinnitus in my left ear and severe fatigue and brain fog. I stopped taking the medication after only 2 days. I thought that everything would return to normal after stopping, but it didn't. Since then, I've suffered from decreased genital sensation, depression, low libido, persistent tinnitus, trouble sleeping and delayed orgasm, and erectile dysfunction. My skin is still dry and my hair is dull. When I exercise, I also feel powerless, sweat profusely and my heart races. My beard growth and body hair have also decreased. "Since I never had any sexual disorders before taking the medication, nor did I have any depression or any other symptoms, the connection with taking the antidepressants is clear to me." In addition, since then I have had a different reaction to medication and often no longer tolerate them and have developed hives. When I realized that I was suffering from PSSD, I had strong suicidal thoughts and did a lot of research on the subject. I felt totally helpless because no doctor wanted to believe me and had never heard of it. I then tried various dietary supplements and St. John's wort, but these only helped in the short term and in the long term have made the symptoms worse. Now I'm trying to do psychotherapy again to somehow deal with it and improve my fears. I used to be a very happy person and now I feel deadened and there is often only one mood and no real ups and downs. Since I've never been in a relationship, I now feel even more reluctant to approach women. In order to improve this situation for the many PSSD sufferers, I see research as the only solution to understand how it happens and what medication can help against it would.* Name changed
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