Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
ULSTER SAYS.. NOT9 TONIGHT LOVE I’M A BIT STRESSED..
Poll shows 57% hit by impotence
STRESS, being overworked and too much booze are creating a flop in the sex lives of men in Northern Ireland.
New research show of 57% of males of all ages surveyed here say they have experienced difficulty in getting or maintaining an erection, and 47% say it’s because they are stressed.
Researchers polled 2,000 men for Coop Pharmacy which is launching a social media campaign #Whatdoyoucallit to stamp out the stigma of impotence.
TV doctor Hilary Jones said: “Anything the #Whatdoyoucallit campaign can do to smash the stigma around erectile dysfunction has got to be a step in the right direction.”
The research has revealed:
57% of men have had difficulty in getting or maintaining an erection
32% say this is a regular occurrence in half of sexual encounters or more, and
47% say this difficulty is because of stress.
Staying late at the office also affects men’s performance in bed, with 57% of those who work late most days having problems compared to 32% that never have to work late. A total of 65% of men who drink too much alcohol – six or more units in a single session – more than three times a week experience difficulties. But just 33% that never booze to excess have problems.
When those surveyed were asked about the effect it had on them, 84% say they are embarrassed, 69% are left insecure and 37% feel less masculine.
And a third say they would feel unable or uncomfortable to discuss their erectile dysfunction with their GPS or other health professional.
The survey of 2,000 men was carried out by Atomik Research as Britain becomes the first country in the world to sell Viagra over the counter without a prescription.
A third of men aged 18 to 60 surveyed say they have not told anyone about their erectile dysfunction.
Only 28% have gone to their GP and just 9% have discussed it with another man in the family.
And 43% of those affected by impotence say they could not discuss the issue with friends and 23% would feel uncomfortable discussing it with a GP.
An incredible 27% of men say they would rather break up with their partner than talk to their GP about being unable to get an erection.
And nearly half said they would rather send their partner to collect Viagra on their behalf.
In addition, 19% of men affected in their 30s have bought Viagra from a source other than their GP or registered online service, in comparison to 10% of men in their 40s.
Dr Hilary Jones said: “Erectile dysfunction is a taboo in our society that needs to be broken.
“In an age when many people are happy to share intimate details of their lives on social media, it is a huge cause for concern that men today do not feel confident enough to discuss openly their struggles with impotence.” Adrian Wilkinson at Coop Pharmacy said: “The results of the survey clearly show erectile dysfunction is something that’s having a huge impact on almost half of the male population in the UK.
“It’s with this in mind we want to de-stigmatise any negative misconceptions and start talking about impotence and normalising it, to help men feel good, know they’re not alone and know they’re not being judged.
“We don’t want men to resort to splitting up with their partners, especially now Viagra Connect is available over the counter in pharmacies and online too, so men can access this product themselves, easily, conveniently and, if they’re concerned, discreetly. “As a society, we need to start talking about issues, especially those having such an impact on almost half the male population in the UK.”
Get involved at www.facebook.com/ cooppharmacycoop and #Whatdoyoucallit