94 MEN’S HEALTH
often describe feeling that they are very
much present in their heads, but not
in their bodies, or that they struggle to
focus when it comes to sex,” says Moyle.
Sex requires a degree of mindfulness to
be enjoyable and, indeed, possible. But
the younger generation – one wracked
by comparison and inadequacy, and the
Instagramification of happiness – is often
too neurotic to zone in.
“The mental health connection has
always interested me,” says Bruni. “You
just have to look at the medication. We
sell Priligy, a premature ejaculation
medication, which is so similar to
many antidepressants as to be almost
indistinguishable. It regulates serotonin,
which, when imbalanced, can cause
you to come too quickly. That tells you
everything you need to know about the
link between your mental state and sex.”
So, what are we unhappy about?
“Performance anxiety is exactly what it
says on the tin. It’s the fear of performing
badly: not lasting long enough, not being
hard enough, not satisfying your partner,”
says Moyle. “And if the focus is on these
goals, then it is not on our enjoyment.”
But sex has always been sex. It has been
agonised over since time immemorial.
To get to the root of the problem, experts
have been asking what, exactly, has
changed? Two minutes on Google and
one theory will rise as surely as morning
glory: the impact of our unbridled access
to hardcore pornography.
The Porn Ultimatum
Since the online proliferation of porn,
erections have become totemic, thrusting
their way into the collective imagination
of a generation of men more worried about
sex than any before it. One Harley Street
clinic has reported a 100% rise in referrals
for those seeking treatment for porn
addiction. Many experts see this as the root
cause of millennial sexual dysfunctions.
“Porn is incredibly desensitising to
intimacy,” says Dr Knight. “Some men
aren’t getting the same kicks from real
sex as they are when masturbating with
porn. I often ask patients, ‘How much do
you watch?’ And, ‘Do you think it might
be having an impact?’”
It has certainly had an impact on Kevin
- also not his real name – who believes
that his porn use contributed to the
collapse of a long-term relationship. “I
don’t think I was ever a real porn addict,”
he says. “But I did probably use it a bit
too much and have done since I was a
teenager. My last girlfriend didn’t catch
01\ Viagra
The original ED medication
produced by US corporation
Pfizer. It works by increasing
blood flow to the penis
and should take effect
within 30 minutes.02\ Sildenafil
Sildenafil citrate is the
active ingredient in Viagra.
Unbranded varieties work
in exactly the same way,
but tend not to carry the
price tag of the Viagra label.03\ Cialis
The brand name of Viagra’s
main competition. It works
faster and can last for up
to 36 hours, which explains
why it is sometimes
colloquially referred to
as “the weekend pill”.04\ Ta d a l a f i l
Unbranded Cialis. It’s as
effective, but costs half the
price. As well as its staying
power, some men find
tadalafil has fewer side
effects than sildenafil.05\ Levitra
Works slightly faster than
Viagra and lasts for up to
five hours. Note that this
drug is taken in smaller
doses than Viagra.06\ Vardenafil
The active ingredient in
Levitra. It also tends to be
less affected by food,
whereas fatty meals make
it harder for Viagra to enter
the bloodstream.07\ Spedra
Spedra is the latest treatment
for ED and gets to work in
about 15 minutes. As its name
suggests, this is much faster
acting than its competitors.SETTLE THE TABS
There’s no shame in a pill
prop but you need to know
what you’re taking. Umar
Malick, Many’s pharmacist,
gives you the drill on pillsYOU CAN POINT OUT THEIR
IMMEDIATE EFFECTS, BUT
ARE PILLS THE SOLUTION?