r/pssdhealing

I’ve been away from any forums for almost the whole year of 2026 so far but I thought I should leave an update for the people out there who feel lost. I actually just came to the realization that I first got PSSD when I was 17 in 2020. I was in Grade 12 in high school and I just started dating this girl in my class. When I started taking Zoloft back then I never realized that it was what caused mine and her 3 hour sex sessions that didn’t even end in an orgasm. I could probably assume that’s why me and her broke up.

Fast forward to 2024. I had basically fully recovered from PSSD and I hadn’t even heard of it still at this point. My panic attacks were something that I still was experiencing though. Unfortunately I went to the hospital for a panic attack in December 2024. When I went in they prescribed me Abilify and told me it would be sent to my room every day and I would then decide by myself if I wanted to take it. I’m not here to talk about the lack of informed consent because most of us experienced that.

I was on both Abilify 400mg shots and Escitalopram for 6 months (the first half of 2025). I stopped both on July 1st, 2025. 2025 was the worst year of my life.

Fast forward again to 2026. I finally started to understand the mechanisms behind how PSSD even occurs. And I put it together about my past. I also have tons of prescriptions and supplements that I’m trying out. I have a current stack that I’m experimenting with. Obviously no antidepressants or psych meds - never again in my life will I touch those.

I would say that I only just started seeing real quantifiable / visible progress in the last 2-3 months. Being asked to do this research ourselves is not cool but I finally feel like I’m doing this recovery in a way that will work.

Stay positive guys. 🌴

Guys i have been suffering from insomnia since starting day of using antidepressants.....I used antidepressants over one year and it's been 2 years since i stopped...but I'm not getting proper sleep...max 3 hours i can sleep.....pls how to cure this problem without taking tablets that messes brain chemistry

Improvement in PSSD Symptoms After St. John’s Wort (SJW) – My Experience So Far

Hi, 32M here.

I developed what appears to be PSSD after taking Escitalopram for around 8 months in 2024. After withdrawal, I experienced:

Complete loss of libido

Erectile dysfunction

Weak orgasm

Reduced semen volume

Emotional blunting

My labs at that time showed:

LH and FSH at the lower edge of normal

Testosterone below normal range

I tried many supplements and eventually Clomiphene citrate. Testosterone increased, but symptoms barely changed. Some supplements gave mild improvement, but nothing major.

Later I tried inositol, which completely crashed me again.

Then used, bupropion but its effects diminished, I used only 75mg.

Recently I decided to carefully try St. John's wort because I had read mixed experiences online and was honestly scared to use it. I started slowly and have now been taking 1000 mg daily (morning and night) for about two weeks.

So far I’ve noticed:

General physical health improvement

Skin tone returning closer to normal

Full morning erections returning

Better erections during sex

Stronger orgasm sensation

Slight increase in libido

Increased semen volume

More enjoyment and emotional response during intimacy

This is the first thing since withdrawal that has produced noticeable changes beyond just testosterone numbers.

I know two weeks is still early, and I understand SJW can also affect serotonin systems, so I’m being cautious. My plan right now is:

avoid adding multiple supplements

continue stable dosing

focus on sleep, exercise, and recovery

monitor for any crash or emotional changes

Has anyone else with SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction or PSSD experienced improvement from SJW? Especially regarding:

libido

genital sensitivity

orgasm quality

emotional connection

erectile function

Would appreciate hearing long-term experiences, positive or negative.

To summarize my situation, I took lexapro around 3 years ago for around a year, and decided to solve my PSSD around half a year ago.

My glans felt numb but not fully numb, ejaculations muted, no thermal sensitivity whatsoever, high blood pressure likely caused by the lexapro, severe brain fog, terrible sleep, and tongue always white (I’m well hydrated).

However, my libido was there and fully functional, same for my erections and blood flow. So the only problem was the sensitivity, sensation, and brain fog.

I saw a gastroenterologist first and told him my symptoms, he said they all correlate with PSSD and a fucked gut microbiome (SIBO/SIFO) due to Lexapro. He gave me Culturelle Probiotics (LGG) to take over the next 6 months. My heat sensitivity in my glans came back from it but that was it.

I went to see a neurologist and he told me that my selective numbness makes no neurological sense (glans affected, shaft not affected). He recommended i do a sleep apnea test to see if that’s affecting my sensitivity, and if it isn’t he recommended to do an MRI Photo of my lower spine, and if that’s fine also then he’ll consider supplementation. He said that anyone who takes Lexapro should go back to their original state, so he believes something like sleep is affected my brain fog and glans sensation (which would make sense if i hadn’t taken Lexapro). Apparently he doesn’t believe in the overwhelming evidence of Lexapro causing lasting side affects after stopping it. I’m honestly so tired from going doctor to doctor.

According to my research i’m probably gonna take Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR) to cure my situation. I’ve had blood tests done and everything ranging from endocrinology, to general health, to hormones is great (so my pssd isn’t caused by some sort of a deficiency). And assuming my gut microbiome is good (since i took Culturelle LGG and it helped somewhat), and my hormones are good (saw a urologist too, told me things from that end are good), my theory is that it affected my neurological system. ALCAR helps with the nerve-brain signaling and amplifies it.

I’m open to any recommendations or interpretations. You can check my previous posts for more context.

I stopped taking amitriptyline 2 months ago, my current symptoms are decreased erogenous sensation in half my penis, while the other half seems to have normal sensitivity, my libido is high and the same, and I can still get erections by even thinking about sex, and I can still orgasm normally so my only issue is muted sensation in 1 half of the penis

I’ve reached my 9 month mark not being on Remeron, I think I’m getting better I’m able to orgasm way better during masturbation and also have been able to orgasm during penetration. I would say I’m at a 75% I’m very hopeful that things will get back to normal in a couple of months. The only thing I’ve done is waited and let time pass, also it seems as though from me masturbating frequently that that has helped wake up my senses.