I sent copies of both of these stories to Richard Wassersug, a professor of human biology in a medical school. He was, himself, castrated as part of his treatment for prostate cancer (see his article Coming Out As A Eunuch (
http://prostate-help.org/caeunuc.htm)) and has become active in research on eunuchs and on the consequences of androgen deprivation. He has given his permission for me to post his reaction:
JESUS, Jesus!! Why did you want me to read those stories??!
What part of Slammr's story isn't true? Where is Al now? I read his story after reading Slammr's and ended up crying for several minutes.
The fact is that the biology/psychology in both stories all seems correct to me. Gosh, these are painfully real sounding stories.
For some time I've suspected--but now I think it is time to collect some real data on the topic--that most, if not all, prostate cancer patients on androgen deprivation also end up on anti-depressants. But no one (doctors or patients) openly discusses that. If depression is high among those patients, the doctors probably assume that depression is a given, due to the fact that these patients are at that point where their cancer is incurable. My guess is that both patients and doctors assume that having late stage cancer is a good enough reason to be depressed, and no one thinks any more about it. However there is an alternative hypothesis. Although this may be hard to dissect out, it could just as well be that androgen deprivation is an overriding cause of the patients' depression.
Indirect data from the transsexual community suggests similarly high levels of depression associated with androgen deprivation. I wonder how many (if any) MtFs are not depressed. The high rate of unemployment and suicide in that community surely fits with that profile, and with Al's story.
Women have twice the incidence of depression as men. Eunuchs, who do not supplement with any hormone, should minimally expect a rate of depression that matches that of women.
How do the folks, who speak enthusiastically about the "eunuch calm" distinguish it from simple depression? For my Archives of Sexual Behavior paper with G. Farrell Squire (now in press) I tried to find some medical literature that defined objectively the condition we call "eunuch calm. " I couldn't find any.
I think I told you that one of the disturbing aspects for me of Gelding's claim about all of the men he has castrated is that all these men seem to have disappeared. If they really do/did exist, where are they now? Dead from suicide? Sitting in front of the TV with severe depression, waiting to die? [Has any eunuch on EA claimed to have been castrated by Gelding?]
On a personal note, I think what has helped me stay sane has been the paradoxical acceptance of a 3rd gender status, as opposed to a "damaged male" status, which is the more common mindset/trap many androgen-deprived prostate cancer patients fall into. It has helped me as well to have a developed an academic fascination with the history and culture of eunuchs.
I am still exploring, entertaining myself, in this gender wonderland. But it doesn't sound like such cerebral exploration is working for the characters in these two stories. I see myself as remarkably lucky, that I now cry more (like I did after reading Al's story) and can then spend time fascinated by that response--and enjoy analyzing it. For me, my emotional life is enriched on two levels: the immediate and the post facto analytical. However, if I had been younger and less interested in psychology in the first place, I probably would have had a much harder time objectifying my situation and putting a positive spin on androgen deprivation.
A-1 
; I agree and understand there are a plethora of factors for a depression to occur! 
) as it was the case with the fictional guy in the story, is the prejudice from our oh-so-much sex-fixated society - obviously, when all your phobic firends and relatives turn you down, as if you was a scary monster shithead - surely, everyone will develop a depression and suicidal thoughts here. When you feel unwanted and isolated, how else should you react to this? I understand someone`s attempt here to try to inform about all of the sides of castration, but this example is, in my opinion, poor, fictional and not surprising - the castration for this guy was sudden, and full of complications: There was no Dr. Kimmel to do it "safe, legally and almost painless", nor did he had anyone who could support him and give advice - he was isolated, in pain, rejected and disinformed - what else would one expect?