"In our Western society, where there are strict gender norms, men feel the pressure to conform to narrow masculinity scripts. One of them is to be strong and powerful, and another one of them is to always be sexually potent."
"For many men, the loss of the frequency and quality of erections can provoke tremendous shame, and it can be devastating because it is associated with feeling less of a man or losing one's sense of masculinity as an identity. It is not only a sexual struggle, but it is also an existential one."
"The andropause is marked by a reduction in testosterone, leading to less frequent and lower-quality erections, and ageing men may be more vulnerable to heart problems than women because they are not protected by oestrogen, which is another cause of erection problems."
Aging presents distinct challenges for men, though less discussed than women's experiences. Western society imposes rigid masculinity scripts requiring men to be strong, powerful, and sexually potent. Andropause, marked by testosterone reduction, causes less frequent and lower-quality erections, compounded by increased heart disease vulnerability without estrogen protection. Many men experience profound shame and existential crisis when erectile function declines, as sexual performance becomes intertwined with masculine identity. This struggle extends beyond physical sexuality to fundamental questions of self-worth and identity, creating psychological distress alongside physiological changes.
Read at Psychology Today
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