Introduction

continued from Introduction page 1

However amongst the group of people, there would always be a few that would seek me out alone and ask questions about impotence, relating it to a ‘close friend’ they know who has this problem and that they want to help. Others would try to get information in general conversation as to certain herbs, medicine, or Vitamins that they had heard were said to be good for impotency and your sex life.

It soon became abundantly clear that the topic of impotence makes most people feel uncomfortable and I can now understand better those reactions.

Sexual identity is only a part of each person's self, but it is an integral part. The sexual identity of self for women is not dependent on immediate outward performance of a specific part of the body, although the appearance of or the beauty of those parts might be very important to their sexuality.

If a man cannot have or maintain an erection, it immediately becomes obvious to his sexual partner, that he has a "problem". Whereas a woman can fake sexual pleasure and orgasm and they have often done so, a man cannot because the penis is the outward physical sign of sexual arousal and orgasm.

A sexual expert in Germany wrote “the man is expected to have a penis that is 45 cm long made out of steel and can perform all night”.

The longer they go without sex and avoid physical shows of affection, the more frightening the thoughts of attempting to perform become and the problem gets worse.

By not confronting the problem, ultimately the man may lose the sense of himself. According to some researchers the penis is the location of the male ‘soul’.

introduction- continued