VIAGRA ARMY
Help to stop soldiers flop in the bedroom
SOLDIERS have been offered sex therapy and Viagra after claiming experiences in combat zones have ruined their love lives.
More than 60 soldiers have taken part in psychosexual therapy sessions to help them improve their performance in the bedroom.
Figures released by the Ministry of Defence for the first time show that troops and their spouses are being offered counselling to help them improve their sex lives and save their marriages.
Army doctors began referring troops to therapists after a large number complained that their antics between the sheets had been affected by action on the battlefield.
One source said: “The psychosexual therapy has been very effective.
“Once you get a soldier to admit that his sexual problems aren’t his fault he is on the road to recovery.”
The revelation follows the disclosure that almost 3,000 soldiers have been prescribed the “wonder drug” Viagra in the last five years to help get their mojo back. Thousands returning from war zones or foreign exercises have been forced to turn to the sex drug.
The figures mean that more than one in every 90 servicemen now suffers from some form of erectile dysfunction. Viagra was originally developed to treat heart problems but it is now used to help men achieve and maintain erections.
The growth of sexual problems in the armed forces could be heavily linked to the punishing workload undertaken by servicemen and women.
Hundreds of troops are currently being treated for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and various other mental health issues after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The claim that impotence is linked to PTSD is supported by research conducted in the United States.
The analysis showed that troops suffering from the disorder were “significantly more likely than their civilian counterparts to report erectile dysfunction or other sexual problems”, according to the US Department of Veterans Affairs.
While Viagra has been described as a wonder drug there are side effects which include headache, flushing, visual disorders, nasal congestion, dizziness and visual colour distortion.
Some people may also suffer from prolonged and painful erections which can last for hours.
The condition is called priapism and requires immediate medical attention.
Erectile dysfunction is linked to common conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.
An MoD spokesman said: “Prescriptions made by the MoD for Viagra or other similar drugs reflect national and NHS guidelines.”