Erection difficulties – the statistics everyone should know

Erectile Dysfunction is a well-known but also much undiscussed problem which affects surprising numbers of men, of all ages. Most men will be familiar with erection difficulties, if not through experience, then at least culturally in the form of jokes, gossip, and social media posts. However, in terms of education on the issue, there is a gap in the information reaching men. Little, if anything, is discussed in schools, it is not exactly top of the agenda for father and son chat, or in social situations with friends. Put simply, ED is a taboo. Meaning, it is not acceptable for men to talk about the issue. Even within the context of a relationship, erection difficulties can be a source of shame and embarrassment – even humiliation – at the time of occurrence and afterwards.

Not everyone is like this of course, some men will have no problem discussing such matters openly, however, from what we know about men’s mental health, a huge amount of men will tend to bury issues rather than seek help or deal with them. And when it comes to something like ED that hits the core of what a man is traditionally supposed to be – strong, capable, sexually successful – then things can turn quite toxic.

What we want to achieve – if The Book of Man may be so bold – is a situation where erection difficulties are treated as just part of having a penis. At one stage or another, they will occur, but ideally this will be in a context of knowledge, good communicative relationships, and social and medical support. In other words, erection difficulties need to be part of the conversation around men’s mental and physical health. Especially since ED can be linked to physical health problems (in particular), as well as mental health problems.

This is why The Book of Man is pleased to put erection difficulties at the forefront of our 30 Days of Taboo special, which aims to break down walls of communication around important issues like ED, and help relieve the tension around them.

As such, here are some key stats about erectile dysfunction which everyone should know:

1 in 3 men in the UK experience erection difficulties

1 in 4 men in the UK who experience ED are under 40

The issue is highly prevalent and is not simply an issue that old men have to deal with, as is often thought. Another common misconception is that erection difficulties are just about anxiety:

In 90% of cases there is an underlying physical cause, such as high blood pressure or cholesterol

Indeed, according to a review of studies published in BJI International in 2019 by King’s College researchers:

Erectile dysfunction is linked with increased risks of cardiovascular disease, dementia and early death and it is estimated that by 2025, 322 million men worldwide will be affected by it.

As far as the taboo nature of it, well according to a survey in 2021:

63% of ED sufferers wouldn’t want anybody to know they have difficulties getting/keeping an erection

Of course erection difficulties don’t need to dominate conversation at dinner parties, but not wanting to anyone to know about them? That can’t be healthy.

Once again, this issue is one tied into men’s health and any serious work around men’s well-being needs to feature it.

For those who think they may need help, visit the NHS site for more information.

This story is in association with Cialis® Together #peekataboo