Sexual Impotence
Sex is now
regarded
as a basic instinct like hunger. Sexual activity,
however, demands
complete concentration and relaxation. It cannot be
performed in haste
and tension. Persons who are usually tense and
over-occupied are unable
to follow these norms. Many people suffer from sexual
dysfunctions. The most common male sexual dysfunction
is impotence or
loss of sexual power.
Symptoms
Impotence
takes
three forms. There is primary impotence when the
man’s erectile
dysfunction is there from the very beginning of
sexual activity and he
simply cannot have an erection. This is a rare
manifestation of the
problem. Secondary impotence is the commonest and
this implies that the
man can normally obtain an erection but fails on one
or more occasions
in between normal activity. The third form is
associated with age and
is a continuous and serious form with poor
prognosis.
Causes
Since an
erection is
the result of erotic excitement, intact nervous
pathways and adequate
hormonal functioning, the pathological causes of
impotence are
numerous. It may occur as a result of a
psychological illness such as
depression, which lowers sexual drive and erectile
function, tiredness,
alcohol abuse, the therapeutic use of estrogens,
paralysis of
parasympathetic nerves by drugs or permanent damage
to them and
diabetes. Other causes of impotence are abuse or
misuse of the sexual
organism over a long period and a devitalized
condition of the system
in general.
However,
the main
problem of secondary impotence is the apprehension
created by failure
which generates a good deal of anxiety for the next
time round
regarding the likelihood of failure.
If
intercourse is
attempted again and the same failure results, then a
vicious circle is
established. The anxiety of failure is established
as an anticipatory
reflex which in turn impairs the capacity of the
penis.
Treatment
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