Blaming the weather, needing to feed the dog or watching Eastenders are just some of the excuses men are using to put off sex, according to new research.
Health on Female First
Research from Lloydspharmacy Online Doctor revealed a wealth of inventive excuses being given for abstaining from sex, including being put off by watching cats and dogs, being too busy playing Call of Duty, and being too full after a large meal.
In reality, the reason could be down to the fact that a quarter of men admit they have been affected by erectile dysfunction at some point in their lifetime.
Lloydspharmacy Online Doctor, Dr Tom Brett, says: “Erectile dysfunction can affect any man at any stage in his life but it doesn’t have to mean the end of intimacy. Despite remaining a taboo among men, it’s more common than people realise, and can be brought on by many different circumstances.
“It’s important that men feel comfortable talking to a medical professional about their ability to achieve and maintain an erection. Not only is there a wealth of effective treatments available, but erectile dysfunction can be symptomatic of a more serious undiagnosed underlying health problem, such as diabetes or heart disease, so it’s worth getting it checked out.”
The research found that 60% of men have told their partner they are too tired to have sex, nearly half that they are simply not in the mood, and a fifth have used the excuse of a headache.
Erectile dysfunction is estimated to affect around one in ten men in the UK each year. While a quarter of men who took part in the study said they have experienced problems down below - and a worrying 7% stated that they never get an erection any more - just 16% of women realise that their partners have been affected by erectile dysfunction - showing the scale of the cover up.
The research, released this week to mark the broadcast of the first UK TV advert to promote an erectile dysfunction service, highlights how much pressure men can put themselves under in the bedroom. Almost a fifth of men said that they thought being unable to get an erection immediately after starting sexual activity signified a problem. Half of the men said that anything between one and five minutes could be a sign of erectile dysfunction.
Although 47% of men said they would turn to a medical professional in their time of need and 24% would talk to their partners, there still seemed to be some reluctance to broach the subject of erectile dysfunction - worryingly one fifth of men said they wouldn’t feel comfortable talking to anyone about the condition.
Confidential advice and treatments for erectile dysfunction are available on the Lloydspharmacy Online Doctor website at www.lloydspharmacy.com/doctor.
Tagged in Health Sexual Health Mens Health