(NSFW) Do you think Erectile Dysfunction is mostly a made-up disorder?

“just use your head instead of taking a pill?”
Or your face.

The male climacteric is a recognized phenomenon, but it is different from erectile dysfunction.

I think for those that have ED, it is a serious matter. For many men, their selfhood is tied up with their ability to have erections.

What is bad is the use of drugs like Viagra for recreational use by people who do not have ED.

Your head doesn’t work like a penis do! In the case of my ex-SO it was certainly not made up. He could rarely get an erection nor maintain it but his mind wanted to. I think he drank and smoked way too much so lost the circulation powers needed. And that is certainly a physical phenomenon.

It’s a real disorder, but it is being sold by very persuasive advertising to men who don’t have it.

If modern medicine allows me to still bang em out when I’m 80 I am so down with Viagra!

@dpworkin I agree with you there but those tiny pills will allow you to do things you couldn’t do even when you were 18!

I don’t know. I have no trouble in that area.

Comparing ED and menopause, is like comparing apples to bread. . . . two entirely different conditions. Women can have sex with menopause, for men it would be very difficult to do so with ED. That is why a treatment is necessary.

ED is also an indicator for possible heart disease. Many men have been saved from imminent heart attacks because of recognizing this indicator.

It is a very real disorder. Actually, they are very real disorders… there are many things that cause ED, including medications. ED is reason for a trip to the doctor, not just for a pill.

That being said, if I ever have one of these disorders, you shall feel the breeze as I run to the doctor to find out what is wrong and fix it, be it by treatment or medication. Even if it was normal aging, I am way to sexual to sit by and wave it goodbye.

@gorillapaws answered while I was typing and I say Bravo! to that answer.

While I have so far been fortunate to have avoided ED, it is often associated with diminished health even in relatively young men. The risk factors are well known by not always possible to eliminate with diet and lifestyle changes. For men who still wish to have a normal sex life and for couples wanting to resume their normal sex life, ED treatments, where medically suitable offer relief from a real problem.

Men wanting to make love over and over despite natures built-in refractory periods are misusing the drugs and may pay a high price for it.

A medical visit for a complete assessment is mandatory for any man seeking an ED treatment and who is planning to live as long as possible.

[I am not a physician – These are informed opinions, not medical advice]

@Cruiser That’s not necessarily true. It works on some men, on some it doesn’t. When you’re adding high blood pressure & high cholesterol to the mix, you can take all the pills you want to & they won’t work. As we all know, good blood flow is what causes an erection. High blood pressure meds are made to decrease that pressure & that’s where the trouble begins. These ED meds can be a danger to men dealing with it. OR, as I said, they just plain don’t work.

@Dr_Lawrence and @jbfletcherfan Great answers!

Just popping a pill to try to correct ED is dangerous. A medical evaluation is required.

Viagra began as a high blood pressure medication. Erections were an interesting side effect.

I definitely think it’s real, and I also agree that as we age, losing the ability to reproduce or even get an erection is perfectly normal. However, people are doing many things to combat the natural side-effects of aging now. We have plastic surgery, skin creams to make you look younger, hair dye to cover gray hair, etc. America (especially) is not a country that is content with the natural order of things. Our society wishes to put off aging as much as possible, in all departments possible.

It’s my opinion that certain things are taken too far, however… You can’t blame people for trying. Who wants to age? Who wants to stop having sex?

@DrasticDreamer What a great answer! You nailed it.

Thanks everyone for the thoughts. Great Answer, @DrasticDreamer. I would comment in more detail, but I better get over to see my doctor. :-)

Have you considered that, while it may be a normal part of aging for a 50-something-year-old man, it may well be a disorder in a man in his 20s?

It’s not a normal part of aging for a 60, or even an 80 year old man. Human beings are capable of sexual intercourse indefinitely, unless something is physically or psychologically wrong.

Some men never have a difficulty with their erection, others do. Most men experience some decrease in the degree of hardness of their erection over time. As I think is the case with MANY things, the pharmaceutical companies have grabbed on to this and banked some serious cash by running a very aggressive advertising campaign. @gorillapaws is absolutely correct that ED can be indicative of heart disease and should always be checked out by their doctor. Sadly, it seems to be human nature to ask for a pill rather than make lifestyle changes to improve the quality of your erection. And some men don’t have that choice.

I don’t think that nature designed it as much as it’s just the way the cycle of life goes. I think that it’s a great idea to increase your sexual repertoire to have many pleasurable sexual activities to choose from. But I also think it’s perfectly logical to want to have an erection good enough for intercourse your whole life.

@jo_with_no_space Yes, I have. I tried to indicate in the question that I was talking specifically about the quite normal decrease in erectile function that is part of again for so many men. Perhaps I should have made that clearer.

@DrC I can follow that. I just wonder if the risks involved with such drugs make the benefit worthwhile.

I agree with @Arisztid and @Dr_Lawrence
While I think it is important to accept the aging process, ED is caused by many other things and I don’t see the problem with some people reaching out for treatment.

I accept the aging process with the same attitude that Picasso did.

@ETpro I guess every man should decide that for themselves. I always suggest to my patients that they try other options for increasing blood flow before trying a drug like Viagra or Cialis.

@njnyjobs I agree but I don’t see the treatment as “necessary.” I’m glad men have an option here.

@DrC Ha! Off to reasearch other options. :-)

thanks