Doctors in China have detailed a rare and deeply distressing case of persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD) — a little-known condition that can cause spontaneous, uncontrollable orgasm-like sensations without any sexual desire.
The patient, a 20-year-old woman whose identity has not been revealed, has lived with the symptoms for the past five years, enduring multiple orgasms each day that would strike without warning and last anywhere from seconds to hours, per Psypost.
The condition is far from enjoyable. Credit: Arman Zhenikeyev - professional photographer from Kazakhstan / Getty
Far from pleasurable, the condition left her unable to attend school or work, strained her relationships, and fueled severe psychological distress.
Her ordeal began at the age of 14, when she first experienced unusual genital sensitivity alongside troubling beliefs — including the idea that others could read her thoughts — leading to psychiatric hospitalization for depressive and psychotic symptoms.
Around that time, she started feeling what she described as an “electric” sensation rising through her abdomen, followed by pelvic contractions similar to orgasms.
Over the years, she cycled through anti-epileptic and psychiatric medications without relief.
At one point, she became convinced her orgasms were being externally controlled, compounding her distress.
Neurologists ultimately ruled out epilepsy using EEG monitoring, and physical exams showed no structural abnormalities in her brain or reproductive system.
Her diagnosis: persistent genital arousal disorder — a condition formally described only in 2001 and still poorly understood.
As Jing Yan and Dafang Ouyang of Peking University Sixth Hospital explained in their case report: “The sexual arousal symptoms are characterized by recurrent and spontaneous orgasmic experiences.”
Unlike typical sexual arousal, PGAD occurs without desire and without the mental satisfaction of knowing release is imminent.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, symptoms can include pressure, throbbing, burning, itching, or even pins-and-needles sensations, and they can be deeply disruptive.
Possible triggers range from nerve damage and spinal abnormalities to medication side effects.
Some studies suggest antidepressant or anti-anxiety drug changes may play a role, while others point to dopamine imbalance in the brain’s reward and arousal systems.
In this case, doctors believe dopamine may have been the key. When the woman began treatment with the antipsychotic risperidone — later switched to olanzapine — her symptoms quickly eased.
Within weeks, the orgasms became less frequent and less severe, and her delusions subsided. She was able to return to work and social life.
However, when she stopped taking the medication on her own, her symptoms returned — only to improve again once the drugs were resumed.
This response, the authors suggest, supports the theory that dopamine-blocking medications could help manage PGAD in certain patients.
The woman had the condition for five years. Credit: Emelie Ollila / Getty
Still, they caution against overgeneralizing. PGAD affects an estimated 0.6% to 3% of the population — more often women — and each case can stem from different causes. What works for one patient may not work for another.
The case, published July 10, 2025, in AME Case Reports, offers rare insight into a condition that remains both underdiagnosed and stigmatized.
A woman who experiences spontaneous org*sms between 3 to 25 times a day has taken to social media to answer the one question people always ask her.
Taking to Reddit, a user only defined by her online persona as @Teddybearsammy24 opened up about a very unique condition that she suffers from called persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD).
According to the Cleveland Clinic, PGAD is a rare condition that involves experiencing unwanted sensations of arousal in your genitals that don't resolve with one or more org*sms.
The medical center noted that if this is left untreated, it can take a toll on your body and mental health and reduce your quality of life.
Credit: Maria Korneeva/Getty
With it being such a rare disease, lots of social media users had questions for the poster, after she took to the platform writing: "I am 29(f) [and] my goal is to educate. The presentation of my illness causes spontaneous org*sms but that is not true for most people who have my condition.
She continued: "Most people who have my condition experience burning, itching, intense pain, UTI-[related] symptoms and or unwanted arousal which is not alleviated with org*sms.
"The key thing to [note] is that this is unwanted," she added.
One user took to the comments to ask: "Has this messed up any relationships you have had?"
"I’ve only ever told one partner because I’ve only ever had one partner and they are extremely understanding," the person responded.
Another wondered: "When did you develop this condition? What was the diagnosis process like?"
The user replied by stating they initially thought it was a trauma response from being "assaulted" when she was only nine years old. However, other symptoms led her to believe that it could be something else so after being referred to a specialist, she was finally able to get a more detailed diagnosis.
"Usually a person would be diagnosed by a genital pelvic specialist or a urologist.i told people about my experiences and have done enough research to figure out what I had because of my presentation," she wrote.
Credit: SDI Productions/Getty
A third Reddit-user stated: "What's something you wish the world would understand about your condition."
"It’s not something you want to have it can be very distressing," she wrote in a lengthy response. "It’s pleasurable in the way that tickling is pleasurable but you wouldn’t want someone to tickle you all the time because I have trauma sometimes I feel like I’m getting assaulted all over again.
"Also I missed my mother's funeral because of this," she continued. "Someone here asked me if I can be around children and that’s probably the worst thing I’m afraid someone would ask me because they might interpret my illness as something much more insidious."
But by far the question that seemed to be asked repeatedly always revolved around whether the org*sms felt good or not.
"It’s pleasurable at first but then there’s this fear that it’s always going to not stop," the anonymous user responded.
If you think you or someone you may know may be suffering with this or any related illnesses, it's best to seek professional help.
A doctor has issued a warning about a relatively unknown condition linked to antidepressants after a 23-year-old woman revealed she has been unable to orgasm since taking the medication.
Lauren Friedman says her life changed after she was prescribed an SSRI, a commonly used type of antidepressant used to treat conditions including anxiety, depression and OCD.
The Vanderbilt University student claims the side effects continued long after she stopped taking the medication, leaving her unable to experience sexual pleasure and struggling with emotional numbness.
Friedman recently shared her story during an event hosted by the MAHA Institute, where she opened up about the impact the condition has had on her life.
Doctors have issued a warning after the 23-year-old revealed she can no longer orgasm. (stock image) Credit: cottonbro studio/Pexels
The 23-year-old said she has lost the ability to feel many of the emotions she once experienced and struggles to connect with those closest to her.
"I can't feel love for my own mother, which is the hardest thing on Earth," Friedman said.
She also described feeling "sexually defunct and emotionally lobotomized" following her treatment.
"I feel so deeply humiliated and dehumanized to share to groups of strangers and the press, and inevitably the internet, that I'm quite literally sexually defunct and emotionally lobotomized," she said.
The student has previously compared her symptoms to "chemical castration" and says they have persisted for years.
Friedman believes she is suffering from post-SSRI sexual dysfunction, more commonly known as PSSD.
The condition is considered rare but can involve symptoms that continue after a person stops taking antidepressants.
According to the PSSD Network, symptoms can include genital numbness, loss of libido, difficulty reaching orgasm, emotional blunting, cognitive impairment and an inability to experience pleasure.
For some sufferers, symptoms may continue for months or even years after treatment ends.
Dr Kenneth Peters, chief of urology at Corewell Health in Southeast Michigan, says PSSD can affect patients in a variety of ways.
"Most of us expect if we're on a drug and have side effects, we stop the drug, we stop the side effects, but it's the opposite of this," he told USA Today.
Peters explained that some patients report physical symptoms such as genital numbness, erectile dysfunction or difficulty reaching orgasm, while others experience emotional changes.
"It is a striking thing when you see it as a clinician," Peters said.
Despite concerns surrounding PSSD, Peters stressed that SSRIs continue to play an important role in treating mental health conditions.
He said patients deserve clear information about potential side effects, but warned against frightening people away from treatments that may significantly improve their lives.
Antidepressants can be life-saving for many people. (stock image) Credit: Kinga Krzeminska / Getty
"You don't want to scare people from taking something that could be potentially life-saving for them either," Peters said.
Researchers are continuing to study PSSD and why some people appear to experience long-lasting symptoms after taking antidepressants.
For Friedman, speaking publicly about her experience is part of an effort to raise awareness of a condition she believes more people should know about before beginning treatment.
A woman has opened up in a recent interview about her so-called "addiction to orgasms" and how it has affected her life.
Speaking to The Sun, 23-year-old Amy Matthews struggles in life to contain orgasms; having them in public, in front of her parents, and describes herself as "addicted" to the sensation, having several a day.
Amy, a dance teacher who hails from Oxford in England, regularly climaxes nine times during sex, but claims that her orgasm record is 18 in one sexual session.
Her first sexual encounter at the age of 15 was apparently nothing special, but when she started exploring her own sexuality more and with a partner at the age of 18, her sex drive escalated massively.
Amy says that, as she became more in touch with her body, she began orgasming more and more to curtail the chronic pain she experienced as a result of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, her polycystic ovary syndrome, and through the body-shaming, she received from a teacher.
Amy also used orgasming as a way to manage stress and anxiety in her life, to bring herself down from regular panic attacks.
But now Amy says that she finds it difficult to contain her libido - orgasming the instant she sees someone she's attracted to, or coming close to fainting during sex due to the intensity of her climaxes.
After being referred to a college counselor for sex addiction therapy to cope with her dependency on orgasms. Now she can control her sexual urges at work but claims that multiple orgasms are still the first thing she gets out of the way upon returning him.
Speaking to The Sun, Amy stated: "There was a lot of drama going on in my life and I started to suffer anxiety.
"Each time I had a panic attack, I found having an orgasm could help calm me down. The feeling of release was addictive and that’s when I started orgasming more regularly.
"One time, I had stormed out of a classroom, I sat down in the corridor and had one. While I don’t think I made any noise or blushed, God knows what other students must have thought seeing me sitting there. But it definitely made me less stressed."
Credit: Pexels
She continued: "If I had a panic attack, the orgasm relief was better if I’d had physical sex — but I could feel emotionally worse afterward. At one stage I was having lots of sexual partners.
"I wouldn’t say the number of guys I have slept with was into three figures but it isn’t far off.
"With my third boyfriend, when I was 21, I had the best sex. The most memorable time was when I had a full-body climax. I couldn’t breathe. It lasted for ages. It was like being on a rollercoaster when the ride keeps going up. You want it to be over because you can’t take it anymore."
Amy added: "I’ve got a high sex drive and I prefer to see guys casually. I only sleep with them on two or three occasions."
She admits that she doesn't want a long-term relationship, and that she just "needs" to orgasm regularly. In fact, she says that some men are scared off by how regularly she can climax.
Pondering why she is so susceptible to orgasms, Amy believes it is from the "extra testosterone" in her body from her polycystic ovary syndrome.
Sex is a normal part of life and any relationship. Whether you're married, in a long-term relationship, or just looking for a bit of fun - sex is often an enjoyable activity for any two (or more) people.
However, for 26-year-old Jillian Currie, her sex life has become "virtually non-existent" over the last six years, as a result of a string of gynecological conditions that she has suffered with since she lost her virginity at 16.
Jillian, of Buckinghamshire, England, now fears that she will never have a successful romance, due to the fact sex can cause her vagina to tear "as if she has given birth" - the pain of which leaves her struggling to walk.
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Since starting mysteriously, Jillian's condition has left medical experts baffled, and now she is sharing her story to help banish taboos surrounding vaginal conditions and let other women with issues know they are not alone.
Speaking to Press Association, Jillian says: "There’s a stereotype that women have a lower sex drive than men, but that isn’t always the case. I’ve wanted to do it, but not been able to – then I end up feeling frustrated that I can’t satisfy the other person.
"I can’t help feeling like there is a difference in the way men and women’s bodies are treated in medicine. Woman are expected to just suffer in silence, and a lot of the time, we aren’t even properly taught about our own bodies.
"It’s so hard not to lose faith, but I really want to encourage others out there to be persistent and keep pushing for an answer. You know your own body, so trust in yourself."
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Sharing her views on her personal blog, Queens of Eve, Jillian revealed how her vaginal issues started when she lost her virginity back in 2010 - around the same time she was fitted with a contraceptive implant.
She recalls the implant causing irregular bleeding, which did not settle as her body struggled to adapt to the surge of hormones.
Jillian was then placed on a version of the Pill - but this only exacerbated her symptoms, This, combined with the various hormones lead to the e-commerce worker suffering from anxiety.
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After doctors took her off contraception in 2011, things seemed relatively normal. That was, until 2014, when a 20-year-old Jillian – who was then in a relationship – started to mysteriously tear the skin of her perineum (the area between the legs) every time she had sex, leaving her in agony.
She said: "I’d be left with a deep cut, right where women usually tear when they give birth. It was every time I’d have sex and often it would be so painful that I’d have to stop.
"I was in a relationship at the time, but it obviously had an impact as, not only was I not able to be intimate as much as I’d like, but I also lost all my confidence."
In addition to the tearing, Jillian also experienced an extremely heavy discharge, forcing her to wear/change several maxi pads a day. She continued:
"I felt disgusting. I didn’t want anyone to touch me, so I basically stopped having sex. I know different bodies produce different amounts, but this wasn’t my normal.
"I know my own body and knew something had changed, but every time I went to the doctor, I was told it was probably simple like thrush or bacterial vaginosis – another common gynecological condition – and was given medication."
However, these prescribed tablets had very little effect, and Jillian started to fear she was suffering from life-threatening conditions like cervical cancer. At 24 years old, Jillian was able to convince doctors to perform a smear test - despite her being under the age limit in the UK. Thankfully, cancer was ruled out.
Although, the smear test did reveal that Jillian had ectropions - where cells from inside the cervical canal are present outside instead - which is known to cause bleeding, discharge, and pain during or after sex.
[[imagecaption|| Credit: PA Real Life]]
In June of 2018, she had the ectropions removed, a procedure that finally gave Jillian hope. But sadly, just five months later, her symptoms returned even worse than before.
"This time, I at least knew what to look for, so I went straight back to the gynecologist, who found two more ectropions", she said, adding: "In November 2018 I had a LEEP procedure, where an electrical wire loop scrapes and burns off the cells, while I was sedated, and, thankfully, that side of things seems to have been under control since."
Per her doctor's advice, Jillian came off the contraceptive Pill, but doctors were still nonethewiser as to why her skin kept tearing. The intimate area has now become so sensitive that she battles pain most days, sometimes struggling to use tampons and being unable to wear certain styles of underwear for fear of irritation.
Jillian said: "It’s been six years of absolute hell. I must have seen around 20 different gynecologists, as well as lots of other doctors like dermatologists, sexual health and allergy specialists.
"At one point, I was even told it might be psychological – but, while I understand that there may be an element of anxiety, I don’t think it’s the whole story. It wouldn’t explain why my skin physically tears."
"I’ve had allergy tests in case it was a reaction to something like an ingredient in my sanitary products, countless scans, and even a vulval biopsy – but nothing provided any answers.
"It got to the point where all I wanted was a diagnosis. Even if it was something bad, at least then I would know what I was dealing with and what my treatment options were."
In early 2019, Jilliam was once again offered a glimmer of hope, all thanks to a steroid cream. "I’d found one steroid cream that sort of worked, if I used it days and days in advance of having sex", she said, adding: "But then I figured I couldn’t live that way. For one thing, it would take any spontaneity out of having sex, but I also didn’t want to be using steroid creams long term on such a sensitive area.
"Plus, although it improved things, I was still tearing so it hadn’t completely resolved it."
[[imagecaption|| Credit: PA Real Life]]
Not willing to give up, Jillian went to see a sexual health expert who referred her to a specialist at Stoke Mandeville Hospital. During her appointment in December 2019, Jillian was finally given a diagnosis of vulvodynia - a chronic pain condition that affects the vagina.
It was certainly a relief to finally be able to put a name to her troubles, but the reason why Jillian’s skin is so fragile and prone to tearing still remains a mystery.
One suggestion is vaginal atrophy - a condition in which the vaginal walls thin or inflame, sometimes as a result of a lack of estrogen. In an attempt to combat this, Jillian is now taking a course of hormonal treatment, but is still waiting to see results.
"The vulvodynia diagnosis is a definite, but the atrophy is still a maybe," she said, "I just have to keep going with the treatment and see what happens."
[[imagecaption|| Credit: PA Real Life]]
Currently single, Jillian is fearful that she will never be able to have sex again if her condition does not improve.
"I have been in a couple of relationships while going through this, as well as periods of being single, but I would say my sex life for the past six years has been more or less non-existent.
"Knowing what I’m missing out on has had an impact on my confidence and mental health.
"Now, I almost panic if I’m talking to guy and it starts to get flirty, because I know at some point I will have to tell him that I cannot have sex as easily as other people can. Wondering when and how to bring it up is a challenge.
"Luckily, nobody has been nasty, and I suppose if they were, that’s not somebody I would want around."
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Despite her unrelenting health issues, Jillian is still trying to stay positive - throwing herself into Queens of Eve, where attempts to help the many women that message her every single day:
"Through Queens of Eve, I try my best to be there for other women. It can be so difficult to find an answer for some gynecological problems.
"I’m happy to share my story because I want to help other women – my Instagram page is like a help hub – where women who have gynecological issues can speak to fellow suffers and learned that whatever they’re going through isn’t a taboo.
"A lot of the help out there seems to be geared towards older women, focusing on things like menopause and childbirth, or we’re simply given some drugs, or a form of contraception that can cause all sorts of other issues and told to get on with it.
"The underlying issue is that women aren’t properly taught about their own bodies. I’ve been on a wild goose chase for a decade now, and had no idea half of these conditions existed."
[[imagecaption|| Credit: PA Real Life]]
By being so open and honest about her own struggles, Jillian is hoping to reassure others that they should not be embarrassed about their bodies and seek medical help for conditions that were once considered "taboo":
"I understand that women can have insecurities, or feel a little uncomfortable going to the doctors about certain things, but there is no such thing as a normal body, and I really want to help break that taboo.
"Now, I want to put myself out there to show how many women are suffering like me.
"If I’d had read a story like mine a few years ago, I’d have felt far less alone."
There are some moments in where you really don't want to fall asleep. Take driving for example, it's not a good idea to fall asleep at the wheel, is it? Or while watching Fight Club, you really, really don't want to fall asleep during Fight Club (imagine missing the twist?). Another incident where you don't want to fall asleep is during sex. Lets face it, if you're getting down and dirty with someone and they drift off into a deep slumber, you're going to feel pretty insecure about your performance. However, sadly for one woman, this is exactly what happens every time she orgasms.
A young mom from Nottingham, UK, "falls asleep" every time that she has an orgasm due to a rare neurological disorder. Jessica Southall, 20, is a mother of one who suffers from narcolepsy with cataplexy. Jessica's condition means that whenever she experiences a strong emotion or sensation her muscles react, causing her to look like she has fallen asleep. According to Jessica, the "sleep attacks" have happened when she was in labour, hears a joke or gets really upset. However, more embarrassingly for her, she also claims that the reaction often happens when she orgasms, and says that it made for an interesting conversation with her partner, Junior Santiago, when they first started dating.
"I just had to explain to [Junior] that it’s only going to happen when he makes me feel at my very best," she said. "But it’s not ideal."
Jessica says that she experienced her first episode of cataplexy when she was just 16-years-old and claims that she now has to sleep for up to 13 hours a day due to chronic tiredness.
According to the young mother, she is left feeling exhausted by the condition, which is caused by the brain being unable to regulate sleeping and waking patterns normally. While the orgasm side of things has made people laugh, the condition also has some less amusing side effects, with vivid nightmares and hallucinations also being part of the condition. However, Jessica says that while she may look like she is asleep during the attacks, she is actually "fully awake".
"One minute I'll be there in stitches laughing my head off, not able to stop and the next moment my head is on my chest or I'm lying on the floor.""I can’t respond or snap out of it until the emotion stops. To any other person it looks like I’ve fallen asleep.""It might sound funny - and I do have to try and be light-hearted about it - but it's horrible really."
Her family initially thought it was down to stress and a change of routine after the summer holidays, but Jessica was worried as soon as it began to happen.
Jessica says that the attacks used to be a lot worse, claiming that initially she would collapse everytime she laughed.
"I was falling asleep on the bus on the way to school, in my lessons, on the way home, as soon as I'd had my dinner - and sometimes in the middle of my dinner," she said. "At the weekend I wasn't waking up until 3pm and then I'd go downstairs and fall asleep on the sofa. "I think people thought I was being lazy, but I knew it wasn't right."
"At my worst I was collapsing every time I laughed," Jessica said.
After months of tests, Jessica was finally diagnosed with narcolepsy and cataplexy and she says that she is now beginning to take back control of her body.
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