JRD,
I stay out of controversial issues on the POIS forums (and the other forums that I'm involved with through NORD), but because of some of the statements you've been making, I feel seriously compelled to comment:
(1) "I would say, POIS is an extreme end of this type of addiction..."
Huh??? You've got to be kidding here, JRD.
You apparently don't realize that POIS symptoms frequently occur the very first time that a 12 or 14-year-old boy masturbates or has an ejaculation under any condition! It appears that you haven't taken the time to read the posts by the men on this forum who are literally bearing their souls, with great strength and bravery, about their experiences -- all in an attempt to try to find a cure for whatever POIS actually is.
So far, there is just a little bit that is known about POIS. It is clearly known that it is a rare disorder, that only the most bare bones research has been done to date, and that it is a completely miserable, life-altering, heart-breaking physical disorder that takes a major toll on everyone affected, loved ones included.
It's also known that physicians are often totally off the mark in trying to treat POIS -- because they don't understand it and have frequently never heard of it, and that they often treat it as a psychiatric condition, labeling the person with a psychiatric diagnosis, and perhaps with only the best of intentions, causing even more years of suffering.
Last known fact -- boys and men affected by POIS are living under a terrible cloud of isolation and shame. Research is going to send that isolation and shame down the tubes.
Fortunately, some of that awful sense of isolation has been lifted because of this forum and the Naked Scientist Forum -- the afflicted men who have stumbled onto either or both forums are the lucky ones.
(2) "Take a look at one of the rare, modern, yet popular diseases like MS - millions of dollars spent on many studies, many theories, many clues, similar symptoms, similar organic changes, similar progression, similar incidence, etc. and NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING about its etiology. Do you really think a bunch of internet guys + a few thousands of dollars for research will help you to understand this disease, in case there is some real, unexplained mechanism just as behind MS is? I don't think so."
Excuse me? JRD, where are you coming up with all this inaccurate information about MS?
For the record, there are subsets of MS, some very, terribly severe, and some more mild. I worked with another RN who has MS and had no idea that she even had this wretched disorder! She was on a medication that specifically targeted the cells that cause her MS symptoms. She was (probably still is) one of the Head Nurses in the Surgical ICU I used to work at over at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC. This type of specialized nursing forces one to be on their feet constantly--and very alert. Her MS symptoms were not at all apparent, and did not get in the way.
It's not yet known if there are subsets of POIS -- but you are comparing oranges to apples.
While the EXACT cause of MS with its many subsets is still not known -- it has not stopped researchers from understanding the autoimmune aspect of it -- and finding targeted therapies that absolutely work in many of the subsets. There are some excellent treatments for some of these forms of MS -- that have each been the result of research that started with very small grants.
(3) "And once again, I do not intend you to think other theories are crap, I'm just saying this one seems to be the "smoothest" in terms of simplicity and probability."
It seems that you're trying to persuade the men here that the "addiction" theory fits POIS, "in terms of simplicity and probability." However, JRD, it does not appear that anyone here is looking for smooth, simple, or probable. POIS has several definite physiological components (autoimmunity and immunology, just to name two possible components) that cause terrible symptoms.
Yes -- a few internet guys (assuming you are referring to the almost 400 men who have left triple that amount or more of posts on these forums) are going to shake this up and get that basic research started.
Nothing about addiction theory makes any sense with respect to POIS -- not one iota.
Before writing on this forum, please read the posts. You might see why I and others who might be responding to your comments are so frosted by your theories. You may be well-meaning -- I'm assuming that you are -- but you're writing comments that are medically inaccurate and -- most of all -- potentially demoralizing to these men. They are on a mission to get better (like heat-seeking missiles!) and they are going to succeed.
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