Expectations of Viagra before treatment for erectile dysfunction

Most men first heard about Viagra on television or read about it in newspaper articles. As a result of this coverage, they had high expectations: many men thought they would get an instant erection and then go on to instantly be able to have sexual intercourse. Other expectations included having a "full" erection, a 100% success rate, an abnormally large erection, or an erection that lasted for a long time. 

Reactions to successful treatment treatment for erectile dysfunction

Most of the men for whom Viagra worked were happy or even elated when they got an erection. The importance of this symbol of regained manhood cannot be overstated - it is part of a man's sense of wellbeing and confidence: and, as you may infer from the remarks above, this increase in confidence is not just about being able to get erect, but also about being able to satisfy the sexual needs of one's partner.

Reactions to unsuccessful treatment for erectile dysfunction

The high expectations of Viagra obviously have a bearing on men's perception of failure. If the idea of taking one pill with a complete recovery of erectile capacity was not fulfilled, many men felt worse and believed they would never have sex again. Obviously this was a major disappointment to some men. Some men attributed these high expectations to media over-reporting of this "wonder drug." It was clear that men who felt devastated or who believed no other treatments existed had held very high expectations of Viagra, and they tended to come up with many reasons why Viagra might have been unsuccessful. Some even labeled the treatment a failure because spontaneous sex was impossible now they had to take Viagra beforehand.

Discussion

Impotence, complete erectile dysfunction, has a massive impact on men. Most men are more deeply affected than is generally realized, and their sense of masculinity and self-esteem are especially badly affected. It matters not if the origin is psychogenic, or emotional, or physical, or a mixture of these influences, the overall outcome is the same: a battered sense of masculinity, low feelings of worth to partner, low self-esteem and low sense of worth in the workplace. To ensure treatment for erectile dysfunction has been effective, a man's ability to have intercourse must be monitored. The launch of Viagra produced high, even unrealistic, expectations. When it works, men experience a renewed sense of self-confidence; when it does not, the blow is severe. With persistence, men can often succeed in regaining an erection, which is important because erectile dysfunction has a massive psychological and social impact on men, not to mention their personal relationships.