# Should I be afraid of taking SSRI's?



## Cheese (Jun 1, 2012)

I developed symptoms of OCD/Anxiety/Depersonalization that came about after using Cannabis when I was 18 years old.

I am now 22 and have not touched anything since, including medication. However, having gone through this for about 3 years now I cannot tolerate the symptoms anymore and have given in.

I am terrified and scared of trying SSRI's because I have done my research and found that there is a community of people called (PSSD) Post Seretonin Sexual Disorder.

Whereby people who have been taken SSRI's for as little as just a few months have developed permanent or long lasting sexual side effects after coming off of them.

I read about a guy who could not get an erection for 7 years after trying an SSRI for just a few months.

I am in a conondrum, my symptoms of Dissociation/Depersonalization are driving me to want to just give up, but I fear I will dig myself into a deeper hole by trying SSRI's and/or Antipsychotics.

Should I take the risk? Or continue living like this for the rest of my life?


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## Stevemc92 (Jul 31, 2016)

No dont be scared they have helped many people and dont read the horror stories online


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## eddy1886 (Oct 11, 2012)

SSRIs can in alot of people actually help improve Libido...I bet theres no forum to inform people of that...

Once again the internet scare mongering brigade come into play....When are people gonna realise that alot of the stuff they read on the internet can be garbage...The internet is just like the media in that they will take stuff and exaggerate it to create stories.....This is how they keep people watching and reading...Its all about viewing figures and selling papers and in the case of the internet, Hit levels....

Its absolutely up to yourself as to whether you try medicines or not.....Dont let ANYBODY persuade you either way because they have bad or good experiences to report...

The real question here is whether your DP is bad enough to require medicinal treatment....If you have tried everything else and simply cant cope anymore medicine is the last resort and for alot of people can be a life saver...


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## TDX (Jul 12, 2014)

> No dont be scared they have helped many people and dont read the horror stories online


They are clearly not representative, but in my opinion people should know the possible worst case before starting any treatment.


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## Surfer Rosa (Nov 27, 2015)

I'm someone who has trouble tolerating SSRI's/SNRI's and Atypical Antipsychs. I get most of the side effects and few of the benefits.

The situation with the sexual side effects is that the sufferers go on the internet and seriously exaggerate it, causing more anxiety than is apropriate. On the other hand, doctors who are motivated to get you to try the meds will seriously understate the sexual side effects, even going so far as to lie.

I actually heard from several doctors that, because I'n not a polygamist or male prostitute, I shouldn't care about poor sexual performance. I told them they were being absurd/immature.


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## Guest (Nov 7, 2016)

I wouldn't worry about starting an SSRI, worse that can happen is the side effects bother you too much so you discontinue, but they are pretty safe drugs.


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## tfiio (Nov 10, 2016)

that sounds super distressing, I'm sorry you got hit with so much all at once 

I'm not sure if this will really help, but I have taken SSRIs for two different spans of time, and a close friend has also taken them, so I can offer some anecdotal cases. this might get a little rambly.

the first time I took an SSRI was sertraline, in 2013. at the time I was on an absurdly low dose (25 mg), but it did help alleviate my symptoms of depression without any noticeable side effects before I chose to stop taking it with prescriber permission/instruction approximately 6-9 months later for future career reasons.

I started sertraline again at the beginning of this year, 2016. I started at the lowest dose like I was on in the past, but my prescriber just kept ramping it up higher and higher, and it still wasn't doing *anything *at the max dose (200 mg), so a month or two ago I forced the issue and began to taper it off myself. (note: *please *never just stop taking your medication unless you have been informed by a professional that it is safe to do so, eg if your prescriber tells you that you can stop taking a medication right away if you notice a certain side effect or something like that. I was familiar with this medication, and the standard procedure to stop taking it safely, and I live with someone who could at least minimize any damage if I screwed up.)

why it worked super well the first time and not at all the second, I don't know. I was experiencing different symptoms during the two periods, so it is possible it was simply no longer addressing my actual issue. I personally never experienced negative side effects while taking an SSRI.

my close friend, on the other hand, experienced some negative sexual side effects from taking an SSRI. in essence, his libido was totally shot. despite the positive effects the medication had for him, this was significantly distressing, and he chose to stop taking it, with permission/support from his doctor. his negative side effects were gone within a couple weeks. he was told that those side effects were exceptionally rare, and he happened to be unlucky in that he experienced them, but they cleared up very quickly and he has since been able to find a different medication that works for him without the distressing downsides.

basically, it is pretty smart to try to be informed about the potential side effects of a medication before you start taking it. I commend you for doing your research. however, from my (limited) understanding, side effects of that sort and severity are extremely rare. if even the slightest possibility of having that happen to you is scary enough to outweigh the potential benefit of taking the medication, don't ask for an SSRI. a doctor that actually cares about *you *will take into account what you feel is best for yourself.

the best thing to do, in my opinion, is to talk to a doctor or psychiatrist or what-have-you. tell them about your concerns with these severe potential side effects, and see what they have to offer in terms of prevention or alternative options, if they don't make a convincing enough argument for the safety of the SSRI. SSRIs are not the only antidepressant or anxiolytic, and it may be worth looking into other options as well.

I wish you the best. finding the right medication can take ages, but it's totally worth it.


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## AMUNT (Dec 10, 2013)

For me SSRI is like +-0, SSRI is a weak drug so i dont think you should be afraid but dont expect any miracles either. If i were you i would try the "drug" of post-workout serotonin high first.

And no i did not get any sexual or other changes during or after quiting from Citalopram(SSRI).

Note that ofc this is anecdotal


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## Mydp (Aug 12, 2016)

tfiio said:


> that sounds super distressing, I'm sorry you got hit with so much all at once
> 
> I'm not sure if this will really help, but I have taken SSRIs for two different spans of time, and a close friend has also taken them, so I can offer some anecdotal cases. this might get a little rambly.
> 
> ...


I've heard of this happening quiet a bit. My mother and grandmother both had great results the first time, the second time (s), years later, nothing. Both were switched to a different brand and once again had results. My mother went from Zoloft to Prozac and my grandmother went from Prozac to Zoloft.

As far as sexual side effects, my libido increased dramatically when I started an SSRI but has since leveled off back to normal.


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## Alan (Jan 26, 2015)

Medication is so variable from person to person, I'd suggest trying SSRIs to find out how they affect you -- if you experience intolerable side effects, stop.

As someone with experience of several SSRIs I find them to be pretty mild, generally speaking.


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## forestx5 (Aug 29, 2008)

I've been on SSRIs since they were invented. lol Paxil came out in the very early 90s. It changed my orgasm from a bell to a buzzer, but it also stopped the panic attacks I had suffered for 20 years. I took it for 10 years before switching over to Effexor. I took Effexor for over 10 years and it also had sexual side effects that were negotiable. But my depressive illness also affected my libido so I can't fault the SSRI/SNRIs too much. I finally began taking Lexapro a couple of years ago and my sexual sensations are as normal as I could ever hope them to be. IOW, no side effects from Lexapro. But I was afraid to start taking SSRIs. I was in the midst of a severe depressive episode when I started Paxil, and it almost killed me before it saved my life. Don't wait until you are critical to start an SSRI. There is a hump of adjustment that can be uncomfortable, especially if you are already significantly symptomatic.


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## evolvingpsyche (Oct 20, 2015)

Don't be afraid. If you get any unpleasant side-effects, just quit.



Cheese said:


> I read about a guy who could not get an erection for 7 years after trying an SSRI for just a few months.


I actually asked my psychiatrist very similar question about reading some side-effects becoming permanent and he told me it's bullshit. 
I don't believe it either, your body gets rid of the chemicals after some time when you quit.

You can really read anything on the internet, so it's up to you to decide what you will and won't believe. I once read that coca cola causes premature balding. Go figure.


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## Guest (Nov 16, 2016)

evolvingpsyche said:


> Don't be afraid. If you get any unpleasant side-effects, just quit.
> 
> I actually asked my psychiatrist very similar question about reading some side-effects becoming permanent and he told me it's bullshit.
> I don't believe it either, your body gets rid of the chemicals after some time when you quit.
> ...


^^^this, so true, not sure where you read that guy couldn't get an erection for 7 years but it definately didn't have to do with his SSRI use, he had some plumbing issues for sure. Also, did you know that if a side effect happens to one person out of 100,000,000 people, the company is legally responsible to put that side effect on the medication.

As far as SSRI's and lack of libido are concerned, one you may want to stay away from is prozac, this has a known "dick killing" effect if you will. The rest are pretty tame.


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## eddy1886 (Oct 11, 2012)

SSRIs very very very rarely effect libido....

In fact the opposite can be true.....SSRIs can be very beneficial when it comes to premature ejaculation problems....They can really help you last longer so to speak...

If I was a girl and I had the power I would have every boy in the world on SSRIs.....No more wham bam thank you mam! :mrgreen:


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## bintuae (Jan 17, 2017)

"SSRIs very very very rarely effect libido". What bullshit! Are you guys seriously sugar coating what these poisons called SSRIs do? Your type of comments years agor are what made me try the poisons and now I regret it 100%. SSRIs DO have terrible sexual side effects ranging from loss of libido, genital anesthesia, erectile dysfunction, anarogasmia,etc. It's a VERY common complaint. I was on Paxil 10. when I got to 20mg, I literally forgot what sex was. Prozac 20mg was even WORSE, so the higher the dose, the worse it gets.) I know many who are suffering from this even after coming off ADs. I'M one of them. Just search PSSD. If SSRIs treat premature ejaculation then what about people who don't have that shit in the first place?


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