When Orgasms Ruin Your Life

Screenshot from “Anchorman”

In lieu of doing one of those Facebook gratitude challenges, I can honestly say that I’m grateful that I can control my ability to orgasm. Here’s how I came to that appreciation. 

The headline read, “The living hell of a man who orgasms 100 times a day” which, in and of itself, is a quite intriguing title. If you had to guess, you may have, like me, thought that the story would be about a man who has some serious dedication to masturbation. A dedication so serious that maybe his family is giving him hell for losing the motivation to do anything else – and yes, if that was a case, I would consider it a serious problem/addiction. However, that’s not the case. Instead it’s the story of Dale Decker, a 37 year-old from Wisconsin who can’t help but come in his pants up to 100 times a day.

Decker suffers from PSAS (Persistent Sexual Arousal Syndrome), also now as PGAD (Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder). For Decker, the condition was triggered after he slipped a disk in his back. In the ambulance, on the way to the hospital, he had five unexplained orgasms. Now he can’t live a normal life, so he stays in his house most of the time. Basically, orgasms have ruined him.

It’s actually quite upsetting. In a video interview published this past Tuesday, Decker gives this sad example:

“When on your knees at your father’s funeral beside his casket, saying goodbye to him — and then you have nine orgasms right there, while your whole family is standing behind you – it makes you never want to have another orgasm as long as you live. But you know what? They just keep on coming.”

While there may be hope, the situation really does feel quite hopeless. As Dr. Dena Harris states, “PSAS is a condition of unrelenting general arousal and spasms which is not necessarily sexual, and they have no idea when this is going to happen, or how often, and can lead to intense suffering.” And not many people have heard about it, meaning not many doctors are trying to find a cure to relieve the pain and embarrassment. Sex doesn’t seem to help make it better, in fact, it doesn’t seem to help at all.

It isn’t just a guy thing either. In fact, PGAD affects more women than men. Kim Ramsey, a nurse who back in 2012 came out under the headline, “Nurse has 100 orgasms a day,” calls sex “agony” instead of pleasure. In a more recent interview she was upset about the fact that the medical industry focuses on erectile dysfunction and anorgasmia, when at least two women have killed themselves as a result of this condition. She’s calling out for more research around PSAS.

I’m all for more research. I can only imagine how distracting, tiring and frustrating having 100 orgasms a day would be. Sure, orgasms can be invigorating, but they can also make you sleepy and disinterested in getting other things done. And the sensations right before orgasm, to be at the brink of those for some time, that would be challenging. This condition has definitely impacted, if not ruined, people’s lives. When your body is constantly triggered, you can’t get much done.

While orgasms beyond your control sounds like a nice superpower, in the end, you have to admit, you’re probably happy it isn’t happening to you. As much as I love orgasms, I know I’m grateful that I get the chance to decide when they happen. What about you?

What would you do if you had 100 orgasms a day?