Feel Satisfied Not Stuffed: Make Space for Holiday Intimacy

"During the month of November for the past 20 years, the movement has invited men to grow a "mo," or mustache, to raise money for and awareness of illnesses that have long remained in the shadows. Each of these diagnoses directly impacts sexual functioning and relational health. Movember has added research showing that body image concerns, commonly associated with women's mental health challenges, can deeply impact men too."

"The results of a 2025 longitudinal study by Süleyman Agah Demirgül et al. in Sexuality Research & Social Policy echoed an Instagram study cited in my previous post related to women's body self-image. Following 3,700 young men and women, researchers found a bidirectional link between pornography use and body dissatisfaction only among men. Men who consumed more pornography at baseline reported greater body dissatisfaction one year later, and those who had higher levels of body dissatisfaction at baseline reported increased pornography use one year later."

"The more pornography men were consuming, the more they developed concerns about their bodies due to the films' unrealistic display of muscular physique and genital size. This led to not only self-criticism but also an avoidance of intimacy. When heterosexual couples come into treatment for therapy,there is a deeper shame in both partners when they report that the partner exhibiting lower desire is the man. Their female partners sometimes unwittingly contribute to the problem by believing"

Movember raises awareness and funding for prostate and testicular cancer, mental health, and suicide prevention and emphasizes connections between these illnesses and sexual and relational functioning. Longitudinal data following 3,700 young people identified a bidirectional link between pornography use and body dissatisfaction among men, with higher pornography consumption predicting greater body dissatisfaction and vice versa. Pornography's unrealistic portrayals of muscular bodies and genital size increase men's self-criticism and can lead to avoidance of intimacy. Emotional stress, boredom, and lack of privacy during the holidays can reduce intimacy and increase tension. Practicing self-compassion, open communication, and mindful connection supports sexual and emotional balance.

Read at Psychology Today