I am in a similar boat. In debuff. I get de splinters in my arse, so I have to stop rowing and pick dem out - during which time I often get zapped by enemies. Splinter Control ftw.
What I wanted to say is that debuffs are great, but it's not always clear when they're happening, who they're happening to, what effects to look for or even whether I should be looking for effects, and especially whether my damage will synch with any of the active debuffs.
I mean, even now, when I know it's a thing, I don't know whether picking specific combinations of powersets might mean a (much) easier time in combat.