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New Theories / Re: Post Orgasmic Illness Syndrome (POIS)
« on: 02/09/2012 19:50:08 »Is it possible that is is some sort of Psychological reaction?
Do you have a background in psychology/psychiatry? If not, I really don't think this deserves an answer...The medical field does not appear to be aware of Post Orgasmic Illness Syndrome(POIS).
Oh really? If they did, do you think we would be doing all that we are doing here on these forums???
why did you respond so harshly when he asked so nicely, he is just a curious person.
For the benefit of Joe L. Ogan, POIS sufferers can be very touchy about any suggestion that the disease is psychiatric in origin. The reason for this is quite obvious when you think about it. The natural response for doctors hearing about such an illness is to assume some psychosexual condition brought about by anxiety and stress related to sexual acts. Some of us have experienced severe cognitive symptoms which have rendered us unable to function including displacement, severe memory loss, inability to concentrate accompanied by headaches, pain behind the eyes etc.
From what I've read most POIS sufferers have been referred to psychiatrists (or variations thereof) but, despite taking the range of meds prescribed, not a single POIS sufferer has been cured by treatment of an anxiety disorder.
That's really important to understand. There are sufferers who have taken their prescribed medication for months or years while still suffering POIS symptoms. I can't speak for everybody but I do feel a bit let down by the greater medical community. Apart from NORD, people suffering from a rare condition are being treated like lunatics, malingerers or both.
I myself have experienced this whereupon a psychiatrists attempted to find anxiety issues that weren't there over 2 sessions. Whenever I said I wasn't worried about something, he'd ask "are you sure?". The psychiatrist decided that I was simply suffering from an acute anxiety disorder and needed yet more medication. Eventually I got to see another shrink who decided I wasn't demonstrating any of the normal symptoms of an anxiety disorder and sent me to an allergist. This is proving fruitful and after several blood tests it's clear that, for whatever reason, my body is constantly fighting some allergy.
This has left me with a very dim view of psychiatrists and the prescription of drugs with uncertain actions and severe interactions to cure illnesses that may or may not be in someone's head. You will find that view elsewhere on the forum as there are anecdotes about telling the psychiatrist / psychologist that whatever treatment isn't working and effectively being told that you / the problem is stubborn and needs more drugs.
That's why questions, no matter how well intentioned, about psychosomatic origins for POIS are like red rags to bulls.
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Kurtosis,
I was impressed by your willingness to look at "touchy" topics on this forum.
When I discovered four years ago that I had POIS, which had decimated my relational life for forty years, I struggled with the solutions and found nothing offered on this site to be successful. When I contacted Waldinger, he assured me that abstinence would stop the problem. At that point I had a decision to make, to keep fighting to find a way to be actively sexual or to find a way to accept the only known solution and find ways to live happily without sex, and in ten days it will be three years since I've been sexual with myself or others. I have not had one trace of the symptoms that plagued me since I was thirteen.
People say to abstinence " Well we still have nocturnal emissions", but is that really the activity that is causing the lion's share of the symptoms? No, it is not.
And the problem starts much earlier than "post" orgasmic. Once again, the second time I contacted Waldinger he assured me that that was true, too. Discussion of this topic was warned not to be talked about, under the threat of banning from this site several years ago, so be careful, this is 'touchy' too.
The point is there is a way to solve this problem. It may not be what I like, but I care about solving the problem...not if I like the way it's solved.
Hi Pois,
I agree that's a touchy subject. I tried abstinence for about 4.5 years. It was enough to get a 1st class degree and to mostly finish a thesis in graduate school. This was a decision that I do not regret but if I look back at it, the point of the sacrifice was a great GPA which does not validate my life before, during or since.
I didn't have frequent O's until 2 years after that and I noticed that I was still prone to mild depression which I have since been told is a symptom of not being sexually active.
My experience is that NE's don't cause me much problems but that abstinence is not a complete cure as it is not physiologically normal. I would like to know whether Dr. Waldinger thinks abstinence is an option for younger sufferers? If he does I could direct him to several psychologists who would think it potentially harmful. Having said that, I have no problem with Dr. Waldinger or his research.
However, the problem is that an abstinent life, to me, is a very difficult life. I asked myself why I was alive and came to the conclusion that if the goal was to be as intellectually productive as I could be then I would continue with celibacy. However, I do not believe this is a worthwhile goal and I also do not believe it is possible to live with a fracture in your mind which set the goals of a relatively normal life with a partner and, perhaps, a family and the goals of intellectual productivity in opposition. The pressure between the 2 was too great for me.
This is not really a scientific discussion. It's perhaps philosophical and has aspects of psychology that would seem unverifiable. This appears to me a discussion about choice. I fully respect your position but you're speaking as someone who has had 40 years of life which may have beenQuotedecimated by POISbut was still varied, involved relationships and both the joy and pain they bring whether there's POIS or not. There are people who have illnesses and circumstances beyond POIS that have affected their relationships. Abstinence is an option but it may be impossible to achieve as it's in direct opposition to our normal human impulses and physiology.
However, I think that your key point is that abstinence deals with the symptoms that we think of as POIS and that's correct in my experience with provisos on age and frequency of NE's. If I've misunderstood you, then let me know.
Kurtosis
>>>This is not really a scientific discussion. It's perhaps philosophical and has aspects of psychology that would seem unverifiable.
My desire is not to be scientific, philosophical or psychological. My desire was simply to stop suffering from POIS symptoms.
>>>>..that abstinence is not a complete cure as it is not physiologically normal.
>>>>The pressure between the 2 was too great for me.
>>>>...the problem is that an abstinent life, to me, is a very difficult life.
>>>>Abstinence is an option but it may be impossible to achieve as it's in direct opposition to our normal human impulses and physiology.
These thoughts plagued me too, but they did not deter me.
I want to be clear about something. I do not need what works for me to be repeatable in other people. What works for me, may not work for you. But I do care about truth, and the truth is that, for me, even though I didn't like the solution to the problem...abstinence does work, for me, 100% of the time.
>>>I tried abstinence for about 4.5 years. It was enough to get a 1st class degree and to mostly finish a thesis in graduate school.
This is exactly what I'm talking about. I just applied it to other areas as well; writing books, performances, raising children, athletics.
>>>This was a decision that I do not regret but if I look back at it, the point of the sacrifice was a great GPA which does not validate my life before, during or since.
I agree as well. The accomplishments I have achieved because I am free from POIS do not validate my life. But, I'm not looking for validation. I am looking only to stop suffering from POIS symptoms and it works for me, as it did for you apparently.
>>>If I've misunderstood you, then let me know.
Thank you for your kindness