Culture must change to solve the problems of erectile dysfunction

The first step in writing about erectile dysfunction (ED) is to be honest about the problems and how to solve them. Nobody benefits if myths and lies are allowed to go unchallenged. So where to start? Men have always had problems with their erections. Almost everyone manages sex well when they are young but, as the body ages, erections are less hard and can stop altogether. It affected the prehistoric men just as much as modern men. There is nothing new about this medical reality. But most men find this result of ageing deeply embarrassing. When the culture is one of male dominance, the failure to dominate sexually means the men are somehow less than men. This forces men to hide their shame. They lie about how good they are in bed. Because the mass media now uses sex for advertizing, the myths grow ever more powerful producing a widening gap between fantasy and reality.

The truth is that the rapid changes in lifestyle are putting pressure on sexual performance. Men are growing heavier. They eat more, exercise less, drink more alcohol, abuse drugs and continue to smoke. This makes them less attractive. More importantly, the risks of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease increase with ED one of the first signs of serious health problems. Now add higher stress in jobs to the changes in gender roles, the idea of sexual equality and the greater social acceptance of homosexuality, and the psychological pressures on men are stronger. Impotence has become more common.

In one sense, the world changed with the launch of the “little blue pills”. Suddenly, there was a convenient cure, and a significant number of men were prepared to pay the price of admitting ED to a doctor to recover their sexual power. But the revolution came with the growth of the online pharmacy industry that was prepared to sell the pills without a prescription. Now men could avoid the embarrassment of admitting their shame to a doctor. Online, there’s only a simple questionnaire to answer. The mail service does the rest. It’s so much more private and anonymous. Men can get and take a pill, and never have to admit the problem to their sexual partners.

The pharmaceutical industry has also moved on. With the launch of the second format of cialis, men can now choose between the weekend and the once-daily versions. This offers almost all men the chance to resume sexual activity without the fear of failure. But no matter how effective the drug, there is one remaining problem. More men will continue to suffer ED unless they change their lifestyles and come to terms with gender politics. Diabetes and cardiovascular disease are affecting younger men as the tide of obesity gathers strength. Even though cialis is the best available cure for ED, men have to change their diets and their habits. Medicine can only do so much. In the end, people must help themselves to cure ED.