Men visiting their doctor’s office for an annual checkup usually can be coaxed to discuss some of the physical ailments that have troubled them during the preceding 12 months.
Many, however, are much more reluctant to speak frankly about any mental health issues they may have encountered and may neglect to mention them at all unless the doctor inquires specifically about such matters.
To function at optimal levels, humans should be in the best possible shape, both physically and mentally. You can be in tip-top physical shape, but failing to seek help for psychological problems, such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder, will eventually begin to reflect itself in a gradual deterioration of your overall well-being if left untreated.
Referral May Be Necessary
While your regular doctor may be unequipped to deal with more serious mental health issues, he or she can refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist who is trained to address these matters. Mental health issues can affect virtually every aspect of your life, including sexual function.
In men, untreated psychological problems can lead to various forms of sexual dysfunction, including premature ejaculation, failure to achieve orgasm, and erectile dysfunction.
WebMD.com estimates that psychological issues account for 10 to 20 percent of all cases of ED. While these mental health issues can lead to ED in and of themselves, they can exacerbate male impotence that has developed primarily because of organic factors, such as clogged arteries or endothelial dysfunction.
Endothelial dysfunction occurs when the endothelial cells that make up the inner linings of artery walls fail to function normally and no longer expand and contract as they should.
Meds Found to be Culprit Too
Roughly a decade ago, two Israeli psychiatric researchers conducted a review of the scientific literature relevant to the impact of mental health issues on sexual function in both men and women. Their findings were published in the February 2008 issue of “Advances in Psychosomatic Medicine.”
They found that sexual dysfunction was prevalent in psychiatric patients and that it seemed to stem not only from the nature of their mental illness but also from the medications used to treat their psychiatric disorders.
On a hopeful note, they observed that the active ingredients in Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra can help male psychiatric patients to overcome their symptoms of ED.
ED Risk in Bipolar Patients
A more recent study, published in the February 2018 issue of “The Journal of Sexual Medicine,” was conducted by a team of Taiwanese researchers. The researchers compared the risk of ED among men newly diagnosed with bipolar disorder with a like number of healthy men in a control group. As they suspected might be the case, the risk of ED was much higher in men with bipolar disorder than it was among men free of the mental disorder.
Because of their potentially adverse effects on erectile function and other aspects of sexual health, you should frankly discuss psychological issues with your doctor whenever you have an appointment and especially at your annual checkup.
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