Psychosexual Disorders in Men
As Governor Mark Sanford staged a press conference to confess to an extramarital affair in June 2009, the sensationalist juice of the story was only matched by its banality. Sex has always been viewed as not just a part of politics, but the fact that it was a male who engaged in it made it that much more mundane. This unsurprising outcome is assigned many meanings; evolutionary scientists assert that males are more orientated towards sexual activities in order to spread their seeds as far as possible. Others believe social expectations have reinforced the sexual habits of men of all ages, ethnicities, and cultural backgrounds. While there are elements of truth to such perspectives, psychologists in the field of psychosexuality partially dismiss these claims. Rather, they assert that the sexual habits of males are merely a product of the events leading up the development of their sexual dysfunctions, sexual perversions, and behavior. Thus, the best way to confront them is to engage the mind of the individual.
Psychosexual disorders in men are commonly limited to signify the lack of ability to perform or any psychosexual dysfunctions. This is altogether unsurprising considering that sexual dysfunctions are the most face-saving, least-demonized form of disorder available to seek help for, particularly when you compare it to other disorders such as sexual perversions or gender identity disorders. Issues of hypoactivity, or lack of sexual desire and arousal, in men has enjoyed transparency for many decades.
Sexual dysfunctions are important as they are viewed as destructive to relationships and the mental health of the male. Of course, that brings up another common problem and explanation for why sexual dysfunctions are popularly reported.
Psychosexual dysfunctions are commonly seen as a problem that begins outside of the mind, rather than the mind inflicting it on the flesh. The mind is a haven for privacy in all of us; to reveal too much of its secrets or to believe it has such a control over you is humbling and opens the floodgates for more insecurities.
Naturally, psychosexual disorders that affect the sexual habits of males, from impotence to premature ejaculation, may be due to health reasons, such as stress or health. But, the source of deep-rooted insecurities and anxieties are often not explored because of the uneasiness for men to investigate them. Sex therapy enjoys an impressive success rate, yet it is not often employed. Social expectations and a lack of understanding that psychosexual disorders are, as the name explicitly says, “psychosexual” contradicts the control men are expected to have, even though none truly do. The intent of psychotherapy is to expose any possible hostility, shame, guilt, anxieties and insecurities that are believed to lie at the heart of psychosexual disorders in men.
Other forms of psychosexual disorder in men are even more stigmatized and avoided by society. Gender identity disorders, such as transsexuals, are often demonized and approached in the same superficial manner as psychosexual dysfunctions are. Consequently, to the dismay of psychologists, the root source of this gender identity disorders is never appropriately addressed. Sexual perversions too are often frowned upon, and attempts to justify sexual perversions, such as pedophilia, through claims that the individual’s actions are a result of their traumas and anxieties is often met with anger and disapproval for its fatalism and excuses.
[ad#downcont]Yet, perhaps for similar reasons that society has a way of shrugging its shoulders when they hear a male politician engaged in an extramarital affair, this societal influence may explain the disproportionate number of males who are persecuted and suffer from psychosexual disorders than females.