I thought recently about an analogy that would help explain the many types of POIS, but having similar symptoms as a result. My analogy is using a space mission or rocket launch as a model.
For a space mission to be successful, each and every system of the rocket implicated in this feat has to be totally functional, and many precious resources have to be available. The hardware and software, the liquid fuel tanks, the communication with ground control, the body pieces of the rocket itself, the engines, everything has to be in perfect operating state, for the launch and mission to be a success. The tanks have to be full of precious fuel, too. If one system fails, it can result in aborting the launch, or a severe breakdown, an explosion of the rocket in midair, a crash, or an inability to land properly at the end of the mission. Whatever the cause, if a tank has caused the failure, or a defective on-board computer, a defective sensor, or else, the result is the same: the complex mission has failed, totally or in part.
Ejaculation and orgasm, similarly, is a very complex process, and needs all the body systems to be fully functional, and that precious resources be available. It is a highly demanding process, and If only one system ( nervous system, endocrine system, hormonal system, digestive system, immune system,,...), or one critical metabolic pathway ( methylation, activity of an essential enzyme, absorption of an essential nutriment,...) does not work properly, the complex event of ejaculation or orgasm may be impaired. This severe breakdown then manifest as a “crash”, as a severe breakdown in the body and mind functioning. After this crash, the body requires many days to recover.
Not all POIS sufferers have the same symptoms, They are similar, overall, but not exactly the same. Also, no single method is useful for all POIS sufferers (except abstinence, of course), one method or supplement helping one can worsen another, This may be explained by the fact that it is not exactly the same system that is faulty, but the consequence, the crash and “fail” of the ejaculation/orgasm “mission”, is the same.
This analogy is not perfect, but I think it helps to account for the fact that the exact cause of POIS does not seem to be the same for every POIS sufferers, and that no method helps every one of us. And, based on the fact that ejaculation and orgasm are very complex process, at least as complex as a rocket launch, the failure of any essential system leads to a similar consequence, that is, the “crash” of the whole “mission”. This analogy also fits with the fact that many POISers have other health issues : CFS, allergies, Lyme, anxiety, atopy, premature ejaculation, or else.
For sure, not all diseases leads to POIS, otherwise there would be much more POIS cases in the world. But maybe a certain number of different systems or metabolic “fails” lead to POIS as a common result. Any system that is essential for a healthy ejaculation or healthy orgasm, and that is not functional, may end up causing POIS. Same thing for an essential resource, too.
Let me know what you think of this analogy !
