The History and Evolution of Sex Therapy and its Relationship to Psychoanalysis

Study on the combination of brief psychodynamic psychotherapy with Viagra in the treatment of non-organic ED

Background

Erectile dysfunction (ED) has gradually become an important issue that seriously affects the quality of life of Chinese men. In addition to classic oral medications, psychotherapeutic interventions are increasingly being used in the treatment of ED.

Aim

This study aims to investigate the clinical efficacy of brief psychodynamic psychotherapy (BPP) plus Viagra in the treatment of non-organic ED.

Methods

We initiated this study via a controlled, prospective experimental design with initial optimal efficiency standard greater than 10%. On the standard, 63 patients were enrolled who were assigned to control or treatment group. The control group (including 33 cases) received Viagra treatment for 2 months, and the treatment group (including 30 cases) was cured with BPP plus Viagra. After the treatments, the clinical efficacy was assessed using the International Erectile Function Index (IIEF-5) score, the Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Sexual Satisfaction (SS) score and Erection Hardness Score (EHS).

Results

In the comparison of efficacy, pretreatment and post-treatment within each group, the two groups showed improvements in IIEF, SAS scores, SS, and EHS (treatment group: P_IIEF<0.001, P_SAS<0.001, P_SS<0.001, P_EHS<0.001; control group: P_IIEF<0.001, P_SAS<0.001, P_SS<0.001, P_EHS<0.001). Furthermore, the treatment group presented better performances in IIEF (p=0.040), SAS (p=0.006), SS scores (p=0.045) and EHS (p=0.041) than the control group.

Conclusion

The combination of BPP with Viagra has positive effect on the treatment of non-organic ED.

Why sex is important: Background for helping patients with their sexual lives

Therapy for sexual problems is not solely based on findings from scientific studies; much of it has to do with intuitive knowledge that comes from personal and clinical experience. The author suggests that an ideal way to begin education about helping with patients' sexual identity, sexual function and relational concerns is to consider why sex is important. Answering this question illuminates the subtle roles sexual behaviour play in our lives. These roles are explained by providing clinically based responses to twelve questions: How are adults nurtured in sexual relationships? How is psychological intimacy created? What is learnt over time through sex? What accounts for the pleasures of sex? Why is sex important? Why is sexual experience unstable? What is a couple's sexual equilibrium? What is sensuality? Is a life of sexual pleasure possible? What is sexual health? What are the sources of distress about sex? How do these concepts facilitate therapy?

Learning Objectives

• Understand how nurturance is maintained in adult sexual relationships over the life cycle

• Specify the roles that a satisfying sexual life plays within individuals' private subjective lives

• Conceptualise the psychological and interpersonal accomplishment represented by the maintenance of evolving sexual activity throughout life

Effect of normative masculinity on males' dysfunctional sexual beliefs, sexual attitudes, and perceptions of sexual functioning

Male sexual dysfunction is a prevalent and distressing condition, which may be exacerbated by the sufferer's perceptions of masculinity and normative sexual behavior. This study sought to investigate the effect of social context on males' beliefs regarding sexual behavior. The research examined the effect of male role modeling and masculine cues on males' dysfunctional sexual beliefs, sexual attitudes, and self-perceptions of sexual functioning. A sample of 140 male participants, with a mean age of 29 years, was exposed to pictorial and verbal cues that presented different versions of male behavior across three conditions. Results indicated that males exposed to models and cues of traditional masculinity showed significantly increased levels of dysfunctional sexual beliefs and traditional sexual attitudes relative to males exposed to models of modern masculinity. Results also indicated that males exposed to traditional masculine stimuli reported lower levels of sexual inhibition due to fear of performance failure than males exposed to models of modern masculinity. The potential role of social context is discussed in the development and maintenance of male sexual dysfunction and its implications for treatment.