Talking to Strangers About Male Sexual Dysfunction

Ever since I became a physician I've cherished the trust that people have placed in me. Back in 1982, during my residency training, I went to Australia to do a clinical rotation. I knew nobody in the entire southern hemisphere, but I was able to put on a white coat, walk into a patient's room at the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney and listen to the most intimate details of a life story.

Fade out, fade in, and I'm in New York's Central Park a few days ago, identifying myself as the medical correspondent for the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric, and asking total strangers to talk about male sexual dysfunction for this week's segment of CBS Doc Dot Com. I'll admit there was some hesitancy and even mild blushing (and that was just from me), but people were generally quite candid and talkative.

Whether that was because of the MD or the television correspondent title or a combination of the two, I was grateful -- as always -- for the trust. And the questions helped tee up what I hope you'll find to be an informative discussion with urologist Dr. Harry Fisch.

Comments

[LordMoon]

In many ways these kinds of ideas and belief's are just an extention of many current anti male attitudes and beliefs.

Men are supposed to perform on demand in this society, not only sexually but in many other roles that are no longer fullfilling to men.

And although drugs like Viagra are offered as a sexual aid to men, the underlying message is, that if you don't perform, then you have no worth. Men are valued only for their performance value.

Male sexuality has been under attack for many decades, at this point only a castrated reminant remains of manhood in our society.

Yet many of the social disasters that our country currently faces, are a result of the removal of men in their role of fathers and mentors from our society, and their reduction in status to one soley based on their cash value, and not on their ability to relate as men.

[alhamp]

Men, especially talented creative writers, reach their sexual peak at the age of 18. And I was sick that day.

[KillTheMessenger]

You got MSD? Get a new SUV and go shopping!

At least that's what everybody else who has that problem seems to have been doing for the past decade.

[SonofLiberty1]

I too am sick and tired of these commercials.
Viagra, viagra, viagra we love you Amen etc, etc. , etc.

One commercial once and a while is suffiecient but on and on and on.....
When I'm eating my dinner?

And I am a guy???

Maybe, since everyone seems to be cutting spending back...

MAYBE THESE DRUG COMPANIES SHOULD TOO..

ON VIAGRA!

[manumoka]

I'm confused. Not meaning to be confrontational, but how did this add anything to our knowledge of sexuality.?

[leaseaguest]

You raise an important aspect not often discussed. The importance of communication. Dysfunction for both men and women have a great deal to do with the lack of communication. The people that have the best sex aren't necessarily the people that look the best or are most knowledgeable. They are the people that can communicate and connect. The body can heal itself of many problems if proper attention is paid. Loving support and interest goes a long way to easing the insecurities that cause stress that cause dysfunction.

What macho men have such difficulty realizing, when they truly please a woman and address her deepest core, she'll return with appreciation ten-fold.

[ssmigs]

NFL commercials target male impotency with Viagra, as Lifetime targets osteoporosis with Boniva. The quantity of these commercials plant seeds of doubt in any guy's mind that it can and probably will happen to him. The more you think about it the more likely it is to happen even to a healthy male. If you are not turned on by your partner, no amount of Viagra is going to help you.

[zizyphus]

I, for one, am sick of all the viagra type commercials. Every ten minutes, over and over. Hey, guys get old, they shouldn't expect to have same the same powers at 50 that they do at 20. Men get old! It is not a disease, it is old age. This is just a big pharma scam to make guys feel even more insecure. Even young guys are getting addicted to viagra now, think they can't function without it.

[RoseMerry]

Mick Jagger once sang, "What a drag it is getting old". Now we be living those lyrics.