Chemically Castrated: A Growing Pharmaceutical Crisis Among Young Adults

This year, I’m turning 30. I haven’t felt an orgasm since I was 24 years old.

And surprisingly, that’s the least of my worries. Here’s an esoterically known fact that sounds like a conspiracy theory, but sadly isn’t; there are three FDA approved pharmaceutical drugs on the market today that have the ability to irreversibly numb the brain’s capacity for emotional response and sexual pleasure in a relative minority of patients who take them. Those three drugs are Finasteride, Isotretinoin, and SSRIs. The condition is labeled differently depending on the drug that causes it; **Post-Finasteride Syndrome, [Post-Accutane Syndrome](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39934554/), and [Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39934554/), respectively. All three of these conditions share an identical constellation of permanent, devastating symptoms. These three names are most accurately seen as drug specific descriptors of the same underlying neurological condition, symptomatically identical across most cases, with each condition highlighting only the substance that triggered it, rather than an entirely separate disease. Those who are affected by these three conditions endure a broad spectrum of debilitating, life altering chronic health symptoms**, in addition to the aforementioned permanent sexual and emotional anesthesia.

[embed]Psychiatrist Dr. Josef Witt Doerring describes the devastating, profoundly misunderstood condition known as Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction.

Many people who have taken Finasteride, Isotretinoin, or an SSRI never regain emotional or sexual sensation, even decades after stopping the drug.

Yes, it sounds hyperbolic, but that’s partly why this condition is profoundly misunderstood. Post Finasteride Syndrome, Post Accutane Syndrome and Post SSRI Sexual Dysfunction are all often mistakenly dismissed by clinicians as merely a set of on drug ‘side effects’ experienced by some patients in varying degrees, when in reality they are the lasting impact of a distinct neurological adverse reaction triggered by each drug in a vulnerable subset of individuals; a neurological event that leaves those who are affected permanently impaired. In the affected communities, the rapid onset of these symptoms after starting and then stopping the drug is known as the “crash.” This neurological adverse event is binary in the sense that it either occurs, or it doesn’t. The distribution of outcomes is not a spectrum, and these conditions are not best described as ‘side effects that persist beyond discontinuation’, but rather, crippling and debilitating chronic health conditions that are actually the aftermath of this specific neurological event triggered by each drug.

This polarized pattern in which this adverse reaction happens is very counterintuitive to the way we typically perceive ‘side effects’ in a pharmacological setting; in this case, a relative minority of people who take these drugs are severely and permanently harmed, while the unaffected majority are often hardly affected at all. In fact, many people take these drugs without any issues. For those who are unaffected by this, taking these drugs may feel harmless, like taking a sugar pill. They may even experience some mild side effects while on the drug that quickly resolve after cessation, such as a slightly lowered sex drive, or in the case of SSRIs, a temporary mild reduction in intensity of emotion. But for those in whom this adverse reaction is triggered, the consequences are far more devastating, and forever life-altering.

After administration of any of these three drugs, those affected by this adverse reaction go on to suffer indefinitely after cessation from a combination of chronic, debilitating symptoms, the intensity of which can vary slightly between individuals:

Total loss of the emotional and reward responses, often referred to as ‘Anhedonia’.

Severe sexual dysfunction, thorough genital numbness, and inability to experience orgasm.

Unremitting insomnia with a chronic, near-total loss of restorative sleep.

Rapid onset muscular atrophy and osteoporosis, resulting in crippling chronic pain.

Digestive issues, such as gastroparesis, chronic nausea and functional dyspepsia.

Severe mucosal secretory dysfunction, resulting in widespread diffuse mucosal dryness throughout the entire body.

Chronic fatigue syndrome accompanied by exercise intolerance and exertional malaise.

Profound vasoconstriction and other vascular abnormalities, contributing to chronic fatigue and ischemic myopathy, as well persistent hypertensive headaches.

Benign, but widespread symptoms of other neurological dysfunction, such as abrupt onset tinnitus, visual snow and other drastic optical changes such as palopsnia.

In patients who are severely affected, all of these symptoms are permanent.

In clinical settings, patients who report this harm are often entirely dismissed by their providers, with clinicians frequently reducing their symptoms down to psychiatric conditions such as anxiety, depression, or obsessive rumination, rather than recognizing that their symptoms are the result of a real, physiological adverse neurological event with a consistent symptom profile that has been reported in a subset of individuals for decades, across thousands of anecdotal reports. Although crowd funded research is ongoing to identify the precise trigger of this adverse reaction, Post-Finasteride Syndrome, Post-Accutane Syndrome, and Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction all present with symptoms strongly consistent with autonomic neuropathy and severe dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system.

Dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system is difficult to detect and quantify in a clinical setting, and for this reason, those affected by this adverse reaction have few objective ways to demonstrate their suffering. This is compounded by the fact that the mechanisms by which these drugs trigger this neurological event remain unclear. Because these drugs are widely prescribed and generally well tolerated, the relatively small minority who suffer this severe form of drug induced harm are caught in a vicious cycle of medical dismissal, internalized shame, and social isolation, which is then only amplified by the profound sensory and emotional losses they constantly endure.

The trauma of suddenly and permanently losing the ability to feel sexual pleasure and emotional connection as a young adult, while being thrown into chronic, crippling illness with no answers, help, or understanding, is an esoterically known form of trauma. Apart from the emotional and sexual severences they’ve been dealt, many victims are left so physically impaired that they cannot function normally, with chronic pain and severe insomnia so intense that they are left unable to work or manage basic adult responsibilities.

Informational videos explaining the unique presentation of Post Finasteride Syndrome and Post SSRI Sexual Dysfunction can be seen below.

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While some clinicians are beginning to recognize the nuanced reality of those harmed by these drugs, progress is slow, and global awareness remains far from widespread.

[embed]Dr. Andrew Huberman raises concern about the growing number of Post-Finasteride Syndrome cases he has observed.

[embed]Clinician Kenneth M. Peters speaks up about the triad of devastating conditions in urgent need of greater attention and awareness within the medical field.

[embed]Dr. Roger McFillin elucidates Post SSRI Sexual Dysfunction, and how the condition is much more far reaching than the name of the condition would suggest.

[embed]Psychiatrist Josef Witt Doerring highlighting the fundamental lack of a response from clinicians when faced with these issues.

[embed]Clinical psychologist Yassie Pirani reflects on and celebrates a New York Times cover story highlighting Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction.

In online communities, victims that are harmed by these drugs are frequently dismissed, mocked, or shamed for coming forward about what happened to them by the unaffected majority.

The way these drugs affect people so drastically differently is the core reason why opinions surrounding them are so polarizing. Most people take the drug without problems, so the experiences of those who are severely harmed by this life altering neurological reaction are typically drowned out by the vocal majority. Those who take these drugs and remain unaffected often vehemently defend the drug, as they themselves experience a significant improvement in their quality of life because of that drug without ever suffering the consequences of this devastating adverse reaction.

The often repeated responses directed at victims who come forward, by those who have taken each respective drug and remain unharmed, are usually as follows:

“I’ve taken the drug for X amount of years and experienced no side effects.”

This argument is, on its surface, logical. Because the vast majority of people who take these medications experience little to no lasting adverse effects, even after many years of use, it is easy to assume that the drastic outcomes simply cannot be as severe as those who are affected suggest. At most, the unaffected may acknowledge temporary changes from each respective drug, such as a slight decrease in libido for some patients, but they find it implausible that severe symptoms could persist long after discontinuation, particularly when they themselves have experienced no issues even while taking the drug. This line of reasoning, however, reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of this condition: Post Finasteride Syndrome, Post SSRI Sexual Dysfunction, and Post Accutane Syndrome do not resemble the typical spectrum of on drug side effects that vary in intensity from person to person. Rather, they appear to represent a distinct and catastrophic neurological reaction occurring in a small subset of individuals, often leaving those affected with severe and permanent impairment. Consequently, those who have not experienced this adverse event are led to believe that the drug is largely benign, and the reports of those who are reporting this syndrome are simply experiencing anxiety, or misattributing their experience to other unrelated health conditions.

“PFS, PSSD, or PAS are psychosomatic and primarily driven by anxiety.”

The irony of this commonly repeated argument is that many individuals truly affected by these conditions report the opposite: a profound inability to feel anxiety at all, due to their chronic emotional blunting and anhedonia, symptoms consistent with severe neurological dysfunction following the drug exposure. Particularly in the case of SSRIs, patients are often told that these symptoms are psychological, interpreted as a natural progression of the mental health issues for which they originally sought treatment. The possibility of a severe adverse reaction is instead dismissed as a relapse or worsening of their prior condition. This dynamic illustrates a profound vulnerability for patients with preexisting psychological diagnoses who are harmed by these medications. When their suffering is framed as imagined or self-inflicted, individuals already enduring years of totally diminished emotional and sexual function are left not only without recognition, but with a deepened sense of isolation, confusion and shame.

“There is no clinical evidence that this problem exists.”

While it is technically true that no definitive biomarker has yet been identified as the primary driver of this condition , the symptomatology of Post-Finasteride Syndrome, Post-Accutane Syndrome, and Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction are strongly consistent with autonomic neuropathy and severe autonomic nervous system dysfunction, both of which are uniquely difficult to demonstrate in a clinical setting. The mechanisms that trigger this reaction, and the reasons it occurs in only a subset of individuals, remain unknown. Research into these processes is ongoing, including multiple crowd-funded studies supported by organizations such as PFS Network, an Australian-registered charity that has raised over £500,000 to investigate the pathophysiology of this debilitating condition.

Until these independently funded studies advance, sufferers must continue to experience their symptoms that persist and often worsen within a society that largely fails to recognize or validate their condition. Nearly all meaningful research into these conditions is being done by small, patient funded organizations supported by donations from those directly affected. No research arm of the pharmaceutical industry is assisting in any way with researching the mechanisms underlying these adverse outcomes. So, as crowd funded charities attempt to slowly advance research through donations coming solely from victims and their families, sufferers remain without any objective way to demonstrate the profound changes that have occurred in their bodies, and are subsequently left with immense invalidation, frustration, and uncertainty, struggling to cope with the ongoing consequences of the impairment caused by the drug.

“The vast majority of people take this drug without any issues. Less than 1% develop side effects. Stop fear mongering.”

Even if we were to accept the “less than 1 percent” estimate as accurate, the risk is still completely unethical. Because the majority of clinicians are completely oblivious to the nuanced reality of how this adverse reaction presents, no one is being warned about this potential life altering change they could potentially be inflicting upon themselves by taking one of these medications. To put it in perspective, if a car had even a 1/200 chance of permanent brake failure after 50,000 miles, no one would be dismissive because most drivers had no issues. The car would be recalled. Yet the current working model many clinicians use when confronted with the minority of patients who report that they’ve been permanently injured by these drugs is almost always to just dismiss them entirely, labeling their reports as obsessive, anxious, or exaggerated. In refuting their experiences, clinicians frequently point to the drug’s mechanism of action, which resolves after discontinuation, without recognizing the possibility that this subset of individuals has sustained lasting neurological damage as a consequence of taking it. Many who speak out to warn others about the entirely avoidable tragedy that happened to them are met with the same response from the unaffected, often reinforced by an overwhelming vocal majority.

This fundamental misunderstanding of the condition and the fierce dismissal by those who are unaffected by it partly contribute to why the condition is vastly underreported. Many sufferers also face significant social stigma, shame and humiliation when opening up about their severe sexual dysfunction, and understandably so. Young adults in the prime of their lives aren’t exactly thrilled to publicly announce that they’ve been effectively chemically castrated, with no way to prove their experience or explain why it occurred to them and a subset of other users, while the vast majority remain unharmed. Their experience is very complex, nuanced, and deeply personal, and the trauma they endure is so profound that it is almost impossible to effectively communicate it to anyone. As a result, many sufferers remain silent, opting to constantly mask this devastating injury that has stripped them of essential parts of themselves, with regard to their emotional, sexual, and sensory identity. The aforementioned under-reporting and clinical dismissal make the widely cited ‘less than 1%’ figure deeply unreliable. But even if the estimate were accurate, the way this pans out for those affected is not a ‘side effect’ from a typical pharmacological standpoint. It is permanent physical, sexual, and emotional impairment.

[embed]Clinical psychologist Yassie Pirani breaks down the “less than 1 percent” claim, explaining why it’s misleading, deeply unreliable, and fails to capture the profound, permanent harm experienced by the affected minority.

Media coverage succeeds in bringing much needed attention to this issue, but repeatedly struggles to properly articulate it.

Over the years, many online media articles have tried to make sense of the puzzling phenomenon surrounding these drugs. Media coverage on this problem is often curious and well intentioned, but also vague and non-descriptive, often repeating statements like “Finasteride causes increased rates of ED and depression in some cases.” In reality, the situation is far more urgent; vulnerable young adults are being left with permanent sexual and emotional anesthesia as a consequence of trusting regulatory health agencies. In my opinion, it’s as if this statement sounds so insane that no one wants to be the one saying it, in spite of the fact that it is objectively true. The extreme severity in those affected, and concurrent total absence of symptoms in others, is nearly impossible for anyone who hasn’t experienced this firsthand to understand, let alone properly articulate, which is why these devastating outcomes are often inadvertently portrayed by the media as mild. It’s almost as if, to reconcile these two polar opposite potential drug outcomes, clinicians and journalists compress the two into a watered down ‘average’, unintentionally obscuring the permanent harm for the relative minority.

Phrases like “side effects that persist beyond discontinuation” are especially common in medical literature, and while this phrasing is consistent with conventional pharmacology metrics, it's like describing a devastating wildfire as a ‘localized increase in ambient heat’. Accurate, detailed articulation of the unique presentation of this condition in media coverage is urgently needed if the gap in understanding between the victims who suffer from permanent harm, and the medical community that fails to recognize it, is ever going to narrow.

For hundreds of individuals affected, the physical and emotional devastation caused by these drugs has tragically resulted in suicide.

The suicides listed below demonstrate the identical constellation of symptoms reported by these victims, each of whom endured this form of emotional, sexual, physical and cognitive impairment for as long as they possibly could before ultimately taking their own lives.

• Marc Turner — Marc was an intelligent, thoughtful, and compassionate man with a lifelong passion for sports and learning. After taking Finasteride for less than a month, he quickly developed severe symptoms that persisted and significantly worsened after discontinuing the drug. In the months that followed, Marc experienced profound anhedonia, genital numbness, chronic pain, tinnitus, and profound physical deterioration. He also developed relentless insomnia, often sleeping no more than an hour per night for over a year. These symptoms gradually stripped away the activities and routines that had once defined his life. Marc had been an avid athlete who excelled in hockey, baseball, golf, and later cycling. He was also an enthusiastic reader with a love of music and meditation. A devoted sports fan, he closely followed the Tennessee Titans as well as the Toronto Blue Jays and Raptors. Marc took great pride in his work with the City of Mississauga Parks and Recreation department, where he was respected by colleagues and valued by the community he served. After more than a year of enduring the severe and persistent effects of Post-Finasteride Syndrome, Marc tragically took his own life at the age of 37 in 2022. He is remembered by his family, friends, and coworkers as a kind, curious, and deeply valued presence whose life was cut short by this devastating condition. You can read Marc’s story with Finasteride here, written in his own words. You can also watch a CBC news story covering Marc’s suicide here. A GQ article covering his tragic story with Finasteride and subsequent death can also be found here.
• Kevin Goodreau — Kevin, a graduate of Penn State University, had moved to Philadelphia to pursue his dreams. While there, he was prescribed Lexapro to manage some anxiety he was experiencing. Kevin described the initial effects of the medication as intense and hallucinatory, like an LSD trip, but the experience quickly took a devastating turn. Within just two weeks of starting Lexapro, Kevin began experiencing severe Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction symptoms, prompting him to discontinue the drug. After cessation, he developed the full spectrum of PSSD, including chronic genital numbness, profound emotional blunting, anhedonia, cognitive dysfunction, and unrelenting chronic fatigue. These symptoms persisted without relief for the remaining nine months of his life, eroding the life he loved and leaving him in constant, inescapable distress. Kevin left a suicide note published in a Philadelphia newspaper under the headline ‘Despair Takes a Young Man’s Life.’ In his note, he made clear that he truly loved his life, but the unbearable burden of PSSD had left him unable to continue. You can read his obituary here.
• Michael Joshua Douglas — Michael was a gifted athlete, intelligent, and deeply loved. After taking Finasteride and Saw Palmetto extract, an herb marketed as a natural remedy for hair loss and BPH due to its antiandrogenic properties. He experienced on drug side effects including loss of libido, testicular pain, and fatigue, prompting him to discontinue use. Initially, he reported a rebound of energy, libido, and wellbeing, but this was followed by a severe crash. His symptoms included genital numbness, total loss of libido, severe cognitive impairment, complete loss of libido, sexual dysfunction, anhedonia, emotional blunting, fatigue, insomnia, musculoskeletal pain, chronic malaise and exercise intolerance. Despite pursuing numerous hormonal, pharmaceutical, and alternative treatments over four years, he could not recover and ultimately took his own life. Before his death, Michael shared his experience publicly to raise awareness and warn others. His loss is profoundly felt by his family and the broader community. You can watch his testimony in his own words here.
• Mary Koback — Mary was a high school student and athlete with aspirations of studying Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. She loved singing and other activities, and initially tried to continue pursuing her passions despite the effects of Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction. After starting an SSRI, Mary developed severe PSSD symptoms, including total genital numbness, profound anhedonia, and emotional blunting, which gradually overwhelmed her ability to engage in everyday life and enjoy the things she loved. Before her death, Mary courageously spoke out, submitting a statement in the 2018 FDA Citizen Petition for PSSD. The agency’s failure to respond to the urgent pleas of sufferers like her tragically contributed to the loss of her life.
• Conall Gould — Conall was an intelligent young man with a passion for sport whose life was devastated by severe physical, sexual, and cognitive complications following Finasteride use. He experienced chronic genital numbness, complete loss of libido, profound emotional blunting, anhedonia and chronic pain. Eventually, Conall’s symptoms became so debilitating that he was forced to abandon his mathematics degree. When he reported his condition to the MHRA, he was dismissed as suffering from a “delusional disorder” and prescribed psychiatric medications that further worsened his symptoms. For years, this young man who had just entered adulthood endured persistent, life-altering effects from this drug, ultimately leading him to take his own life at the age of 21. He is survived by his parents and five younger sisters, who continue to seek justice and raise global awareness of the dangers Finasteride can pose to young men. A video of his mother describing his experience with Finasteride can be found here.
• David Stofkooper — David was a highly motivated and intelligent Psychology student who had just moved out on his own to begin his adult life. He had a history of OCD, which led him to seek treatment and ultimately be prescribed Zoloft. Within just a few weeks, David began experiencing severe and life altering side effects. He was later prescribed an antipsychotic, which only worsened his condition. After discontinuing all medications five months later, David never recovered. He developed the full spectrum of Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction symptoms, including profound anhedonia, emotional blunting, total genital numbness, complete loss of libido, cognitive difficulties, and chronic fatigue. Despite attempting numerous interventions to improve his condition, nothing alleviated the relentless burden of these symptoms. David described himself as feeling like a zombie, a common statement of those suffering from anhedonia in the PSSD community. He desired to live, but not the life he had with PSSD. He characterized his existence as an ongoing torture, day in and day out. Tragically, David ultimately took his own life. You can read his testimony, written by his mother Elra, here.
• Romain Mathieu — (Written by his mother, Sylviane Mathieu) Romain was a happy student, working hard but also enjoying typical student parties and sweet moments with his girlfriend. In 2010, he was prescribed a revolutionary treatment for suspected hair loss: Finasteride. Regarding potential risks, we were assured there were none. Fairly quickly, he complained of episodes of intense fatigue, lower abdominal pain, insomnia, and problems with libido and memory. He discussed these problems with doctors, including the one who had prescribed the medication, but they all told him it was due to stress related to his studies. In 2011, the side effects worsened; he had increasing difficulty concentrating, and his relationship with his girlfriend deteriorated. Later, he was forced to break up with her because, despite Viagra and penile injections, he could no longer have intimate relations and no longer felt virile. We continued the consultations, asking if there could possibly be a link with Finasteride. Each of us consulted the Vidal (a reference guide for medications) and were assured that we had nothing to worry about. In 2013, Romain finally understood that his condition wasn’t normal. Further tests revealed hormonal imbalances unacceptable for his age, and he was suffering from breast hypertrophy. He then began his research and discovered that he wasn’t alone. Convinced that everything would return to normal, he gradually stopped taking Finasteride. For a few weeks after stopping the medication, he felt relatively stable, until his side effects intensified again, accompanied by new symptoms such as multiple allergies, muscle pain and weakness, intestinal problems, and severe headaches. Despite everything, he continued to fight and told me he was stronger than these ailments, that he would graduate, find a good job, and start a family. For a while, he persevered to achieve these goals, trying several treatment protocols, but eventually, his condition deteriorated so much that he could no longer even attend his classes. He would ask his friends to sign the attendance sheets and only went to university to take his exams. He continued to warn his friends who were eager to treat their alopecia, and he certainly saved some of them. This child, so lively, so funny, so intelligent, so athletic, was slowly but surely losing everything that made him who he was, until he resembled a castaway on a desert island. In 2016, Romain could no longer think or learn properly; his memory was failing him, as if he were suffering from an early form of Alzheimer’s disease. His face was swollen, and what was mistakenly labeled as depression overwhelmed him, accompanied by very dark thoughts. His dreams no longer sustained him. The most incredible thing is that despite his terrible suffering, he summoned his last reserves of strength to pass his final exams, land his dream job in London, before leaving because, as he wrote: “Survival is no longer possible, all the masks have fallen, I simply wanted to live!”, “Suicide is not a choice, but the impossibility of continuing”, “Mom, if you have the courage, for me and for all those who suffer like me, fight.” Knowing Romain was an incredible privilege, his courage an immense lesson, and of course, for almost ten years now, for him and for the sake of other parents children harmed by this drug, we have been fighting. A news report covering his death can be viewed here.
• Megan Concannon — Meg was a 24 year old girl who had recently undergone rhinoplasty. After struggling with the emotional impact of feeling that she no longer recognized herself, she sought help from a therapist and was recommended treatment with an SSRI. Within weeks of starting the medication, Meg developed severe sexual side effects. Hoping the symptoms would resolve, she discontinued the drug after discussing her concerns with her clinician. Instead of improving, her condition deteriorated significantly. Following cessation, Meg developed a range of persistent symptoms, including worsening genital numbness, inability to experience orgasm, anhedonia, profound emotional blunting, insomnia, chronic pain, malaise, and severe exercise intolerance. The emotional blunting was so severe that she described feeling stripped of the ability to properly grieve the loss of her former self. Over the following year, Meg pursued every avenue she could to regain her health, seeking medical advice, researching potential treatments, and trying numerous approaches in the hope that something might bring relief. During this time she also became active in online anhedonia communities, where she formed close friendships with others enduring similar conditions. Despite her own suffering, she was known within those spaces for her compassion and willingness to support others who were struggling. After enduring this condition for a little over a year, Meg tragically ended her life on May 15, 2022. Her loss was deeply felt by the online community she had come to know so well, and by those whose lives she touched through her kindness during an extraordinarily difficult period of her own life. You can read her obituary here, and a discussion from the anhedonia community reflecting on the loss of her life here.
• Zachary Separovich — Zachary was a talented and devoted musician in his mid-thirties when he was prescribed Accutane to address persistent adult acne. Shortly after beginning the medication, he developed an extreme and debilitating set of symptoms that would consume his life. He experienced profound genital numbness, severe cognitive impairment, debilitating chronic pain, extreme muscular atrophy, joint degeneration, widespread digestive issues, and severe mucosal dryness. His physical deterioration was so pronounced that his clinician, upon reviewing an MRI, remarked that he momentarily thought he had confused Zachary’s scan with that of an 80-year-old patient, underscoring the severity of his condition. Despite these relentless challenges, Zachary sought connection and support in online communities for Accutane victims, forming meaningful friendships and offering encouragement, compassion, and guidance to others navigating the same devastating experience. His dedication to helping others persisted even as his own body and mind continued to deteriorate. Tragically, after years of enduring this relentless cascade of neurological, physical, and sexual dysfunction, Zachary took his own life on September 19, 2022. He is remembered for his extraordinary resilience, his generosity toward others suffering the same fate, and the profound impact he had on all who knew him. You can read his story and obituary here.
• Philipp Wilde — Philipp was an active volunteer with PSSD Germany, driven by his own experience with the condition. He dedicated himself tirelessly to raising awareness, advocating for informed consent, and helping others navigate the devastating effects of PSSD. Philipp was widely described as hardworking, compassionate, and deeply committed to the community. Despite his passion and efforts to support others, he endured the full spectrum of PSSD symptoms, including profound anhedonia, emotional blunting, genital numbness, total loss of libido, cognitive difficulties, chronic fatigue, and persistent insomnia. Over time, the relentless burden of these symptoms became unbearable. PSSD Germany announced the passing of Philipp Wilde shortly after his death, marking a tragic loss for both his loved ones and the broader PSSD community. His obituary is listed here.
• Joseph Stanley — Joseph enlisted in the United States Air Force at 18 years old and was later deployed to Erbil, Iraq, where he supported wartime U.S. Special Forces and Personnel Recovery Units. For his service, he received multiple honors, including the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and the National Defense Service Medal, and ultimately retired from military service as a Senior Airman. Outside of his military service, Joseph was known for his generosity and compassion. At just 22 years old, Joseph was prescribed Finasteride after being misdiagnosed with an enlarged prostate by a military physician. He took the medication for only two weeks before discontinuing it when it failed to improve his urinary symptoms. Two weeks after stopping the drug, he experienced a sudden and severe crash and began developing a range of life-altering symptoms. These included chronic genital numbness, anhedonia, profound emotional blunting, followed by inability to feel orgasm, total loss of libido, severe head pressure, markedly impaired visual processing, visual snow, and tinnitus. These symptoms persisted and worsened over the following years as his health steadily deteriorated. After enduring the debilitating effects of Post Finasteride Syndrome for more than seven years, Joseph took his own life on June 19, 2023. He was 29 years old. You can read his obituary here.
• Arielle Devoure — Arielle was a veterinary technician from Ohio who had a deep love for animals and dedicated her work to caring for them. Those who knew her described her as compassionate and curious, someone who found genuine joy in learning about and helping the animals she worked with. After developing Post SSRI Sexual Dysfunction, Arielle began experiencing the devastating range of symptoms commonly reported by sufferers, including total genital numbness, complete loss of libido, profound anhedonia, severe emotional blunting, and cognitive difficulties. The emotional blunting became so severe that she described being unable to feel love or connection, even toward her own baby. In search of hope, Arielle remained active in online communities for those suffering from PSSD, where she stayed in contact with others facing the same condition. She received support from people in her life as well as from fellow sufferers, but despite these efforts, the symptoms persisted without relief. Arielle leaves behind her baby, family, and friends. You can view her obituary here, as well as a forum post dedicated to grieving her loss here.
• Daniel M Stewart — Daniel developed a severe and progressively worsening constellation of symptoms after taking just nine pills of Finasteride. His condition closely mirrored the pattern reported by many other affected patients, including genital numbness, anhedonia, profound emotional blunting, severe cognitive impairment, chronic insomnia, muscle wastage, penile tissue loss, persistent malaise, and widespread chronic pain. Prior to taking finasteride, Daniel had been in good health with no history of mental health or sexual dysfunction. A respected professor of Criminal Justice at the University of North Texas in Denton, he was admired by his students and colleagues. He had also previously served his country in the United States Air Force from 1994 to 1998. As his condition continued to deteriorate, Daniel struggled to endure the relentless physical and neurological symptoms that had overtaken his life. On April 12, 2014, he died at his home in Denver, Texas, after telling his family, “I can no longer live in this nightmare. Finasteride has destroyed my mind and body.” You can read Daniel’s story here, and watch a video of his mother describing his experience with this condition here.
• Jason Staley — Jason sought medical treatment at a hospital after having been on Paxil for nearly twenty years. During his care, the medication was abruptly discontinued, and he was subsequently treated with Invega. In the aftermath of these changes, Jason began experiencing a cascade of severe and unfamiliar symptoms. After stopping the medications, he developed the persistent condition now recognized as Post SSRI Sexual Dysfunction. Jason reported the same devastating range of symptoms described by many others with the condition, including total genital numbness, complete loss of libido, profound anhedonia, severe emotional blunting, cognitive difficulties, and chronic fatigue. Searching for answers and support, he became active in online PSSD communities, where he connected with others enduring the same condition. Those who interacted with Jason in these groups remembered him as kind, thoughtful, and selfless. Despite his own suffering, he consistently offered encouragement and support to others who were struggling. After more than a year of enduring these symptoms, Jason tragically took his own life. He was later found in a river in Pennsylvania, and his death was confirmed shortly afterward by his mother on social media. You can view his obituary here.
• Eric Carlos Rodriguez — Eric was a 33-year-old financial analyst and one of five children in a close-knit family. He looked forward to building his own family and home. Described as intelligent and adventurous, he enjoyed dating, dancing, working out, and spending time with friends. After taking Finasteride for hair loss, Eric suffered in silence for eight years from severe symptoms including genital numbness, anhedonia, emotional blunting, cognitive problems, genital pain, chronic pain and unrelenting insomnia, describing the experience as a ‘loss of his humanity’. He confided in his parents only ten months before he tragically ended his life with a handgun at the family vacation home. His family believes that the shame surrounding sexual side effects and depression prevents young men from seeking help, and they are advocating for Finasteride to be removed from the market. His story was covered by VICE here.
• Jordan Rumble — Jordan had been prescribed antidepressants to treat anxiety and depression. Over time, he began experiencing troubling side effects, including genital numbness, which led him to decide it was time to discontinue the medication. Despite his concerns, his doctor urged him to remain on the drugs, during which additional side effects began to emerge before he ultimately stopped taking them. In the months following discontinuation, Jordan developed the full range of persistent symptoms now associated with Post SSRI Sexual Dysfunction. These included total genital numbness, complete loss of libido, anhedonia, profound emotional blunting, cognitive disturbances, and chronic fatigue. As his condition worsened, he became increasingly distressed and eventually sought help at a hospital, where he explained the genital numbness and cognitive impairment he was experiencing. The psychiatrist he saw dismissed these concerns as being “all in his head” and prescribed additional antidepressants. For the remainder of his life, Jordan repeatedly expressed that he wanted to recover and be present for his family. However, his symptoms did not improve. He described his condition as feeling “chemically castrated and chemically lobotomized.” While Jordan desperately wanted to live and regain his health, he felt the medical system had failed him, leaving him dismissed and unheard as he struggled with the devastating effects of PSSD. After suffering with these symptoms for years, Jordan tragically took his own life in February 2021. You can read his obituary here.
• John Pfaff — John, a devoted husband and father of two, was the CEO of a technology company in San Francisco. In 2008, he was prescribed Finasteride for hair loss. Shortly after starting the medication, he began experiencing severe and rapidly escalating side effects, which continued and worsened even after discontinuing the drug. John developed genital numbness, profound emotional blunting, complete loss of libido, cognitive dysfunction, muscular atrophy, and significant physical deterioration. His wife observed drastic and uncharacteristic changes in his behavior and physical health. Tragically, John took his own life at a local train station at the age of 40. His family believes that the enduring effects of Finasteride directly contributed to his death. He is survived by his wife and two children. A Reuters article that covers John’s suicide can be found here.
• Anthony Borricio — Anthony was a husband and father of three who enjoyed concerts, hiking, and volunteering as a coach for the Special Olympics. After experiencing mild insomnia, he was prescribed Zoloft. He took only eleven pills in total. Within days of starting the medication, Anthony began experiencing severe and alarming symptoms, including profound emotional blunting, intrusive suicidal thoughts, and genital anesthesia that did not resolve after discontinuing the drug. In the months that followed, he developed the broader pattern of symptoms associated with Post SSRI Sexual Dysfunction, including total genital numbness, loss of libido, anhedonia, cognitive difficulties, and chronic fatigue. Anthony struggled with these persistent symptoms while trying to remain present for his family, but the condition did not improve. His family later confirmed that Anthony tragically took his own life in late 2025 after enduring the effects of PSSD. Anthony will be remembered for his courage in speaking openly about his experience and helping raise awareness of a condition that continues to affect countless individuals and families. You can view a testimony he gave about PSSD just months before his on the YouTube channel Moral Medicine here.
• Tyler Kober — Tyler was a beloved teacher and passionate sports fan whose life was tragically cut short by PSSD. Known for his kindness, empathy, and loyalty, Tyler left a lasting impression on everyone who knew him. His warmth and generosity allowed him to see the best in others, and he carried a heart that touched countless lives. Tyler’s death came to light via TikTok, when a friend shared their shock about PSSD after Tyler’s family released information regarding the condition. With their permission, we were able to help share his story and honor his memory. Even in death, Tyler continued to give, as his final act of kindness was donating his organs, allowing his light to live on through others. You can view his obituary here.
• Randall Santmann — Randy was a talented programmer, beloved by friends and family for his warmth and intelligence. At 22, after taking Finasteride, he developed severe and persistent side effects that would ultimately overwhelm his life. Randy experienced genital numbness, profound emotional blunting, anhedonia, complete loss of sexual function, muscular atrophy, chronic fatigue, debilitating cognitive disturbances, and widespread chronic pain. Despite pursuing numerous treatments, he found no relief, and his suffering continued to intensify, especially after both resumption and cessation of the drug. Much like many other PFS patients, Randy was repeatedly told that his symptoms were psychosomatic, a misattribution that left him feeling profoundly misunderstood. In online posts, he conveyed the heartbreaking loss of emotional connection, cognitive capacity, and physical autonomy, describing a body and mind he no longer recognized. His parents mourned him deeply, recalling his experience: “He hated all the things that the drug had done to him. He hoped his family and friends would understand why he didn’t want to live anymore.” Ultimately, Randy tragically ended his life in 2008. This CBS article about Randy explores the tragic and puzzling pattern in which some individuals experience permanent, life altering harm from Finasteride, sometimes leading to suicide, while others remain unaffected.

These victims represent only a fraction of the countless lives devastated by the uniquely devastating injury that Finasteride, Isotretinoin, and SSRIs can cause.

And then there’s me. I could tell you my story. I could tell you that my name’s Matt, that I took Finasteride as a young, insecure adult, and that I’ve spent half of my twenties thoroughly emotionally and sexually numb as a consequence. Since the age of 24, I’ve been masking debilitating chronic health symptoms that have made every day of my life feel not only completely devoid of emotional fulfillment, but also viscerally painful due to muscular atrophy, chronic pain, functional dyspepsia, and all the bizarre, nuanced forms of malaise I endure daily as a result of this. I could tell you how I’ve had to learn to adapt to no longer having an emotional response, being unable to grieve, cry, or even feel love for my own family as a result of the severity of my enduring emotional blunting and anhedonia. I could even tell you about the inexplicable level of trauma and loss I went through having to essentially say goodbye to my own sexuality at the young age of 24, or even that I genuinely do not remember what an orgasm feels like.

I could tell you all about the stories of the many friends I’ve met online who have endured this condition for decades, walking through life as anhedonic, asexual and emotionally blunted remains of who they used to be, unable to explain how or why they were so severely chemically castrated and lobotomized by a drug that the vast majority of people tolerate fine. I could tell you about the immense physical pain I endure on a day to day basis, robbing me of my youth and my ability to function day to day as any normal adult would, and I could tell you about all of the many lifestyle interventions, therapies, diets and experimental treatments I’ve tried to no avail in attempt to remedy any one singular aspect of this disease. I could tell you what it feels like to see posts on social media about the many victims who took their lives due to this condition being flooded with callous, dismissive comments like ‘he was suffering from mental illness, not finasteride’ from the unaffected majority who take it, and the strange, numbed sense of pseudo-infuriation that seeps through my emotional blunting when I witness this horrific cycle of entirely avoidable tragedy continue.

I could also tell you about the fragmentation I’ve experienced in almost all of my relationships, including those with friends and family, as they try to understand, but inevitably can’t, as my story is so bizarre, niche and uniquely horrifying that no one could truly understand it unless they had experienced it for themselves firsthand. I could explain to you the trauma of how it feels to suffer so much from something so internally viscerally real, but to outsiders sounds like a far-fetched conspiracy theory. I could tell you about the suicides of victims of this condition that I have personally known and talked at great length with until the time that they could not endure the damage the drug has caused them any longer. At the end of all of my storytelling, the takeaway message would still be the same: this problem continues to happen to vulnerable young adults like me, and the medical system refuses to even acknowledge it’s happening, let alone do anything about it.

Clearly, something needs to change.

The existence of this problem cannot afford to be written off as a series of isolated incidents, or misattributed to mental health issues specific to each victim. There is a clear pattern that is consistent across decades of anecdotal reports among those that have suffered from this same adverse reaction due to Finasteride, Accutane and SSRIs. The documented consistency and unmistakable similarity of these cases demand urgent attention from medical professionals and a deeper, more nuanced level of awareness from the general public at large. The medical industry has a responsibility to not only celebrate the varied successes of pharmacology, but also to thoroughly investigate the potential adverse harm that can arise from it, in the interest of preventing human suffering, as opposed to causing it, in a manner that was otherwise totally avoidable. The continual blatant ignorance of this problem is a complete and utter failure of regulatory agencies like the FDA, EMA and MHRA, as well as clinicians who promote these drugs as universally safe, unwilling to listen to patients who say otherwise. The victims whose lives were lost, as well as those like myself who continue to live with this debilitating set of chronic symptoms, deserve an attempt at understanding that is far more nuanced than the current working model of clinical skepticism and dismissal. We deserve real acknowledgment, investigation, and an honest commitment from the medical community to determine why these drugs can, in a minority of cases, produce such devastating and permanent consequences, and obvious physiological harm to the nervous system.

For those living with the conditions known as Post‑Finasteride Syndrome, Post‑Accutane Syndrome, and Post‑SSRI Sexual Dysfunction, the damage has already been done. What remains to be seen is whether or not the medical community will choose to recognize the pattern that these patients have been self reporting for decades, and allow this endless, devastating pattern to continue.

Until this desperately needed wake up call is answered, the suffering of those harmed by these drugs will continue endlessly, and countless lives will continue to be lost.