10 Mar Is there a link between suicide and male impotence ?
Is there a link between suicide and male impotence? The relationship has often been made between impotence and depression. Yet without clearly establishing which of the two leads to the other. What is certain, however, is that depression and erectile dysfunction tend to isolate, lock in silence and shame.
The shame of talking about your erection problems has serious consequences. The link between suicidal ideation and male impotence concerns men of all ages but particularly affects young men with severe erectile dysfunction (1 to 4% of men under the age of 25). Why ? Because at 20 it is difficult to find people to confide in. It’s because you dare not tell your friends, you don’t have a girlfriend (or boyfriend), you don’t tell your parents about it, and consulting a doctor is not easy. We therefore risk locking ourselves in silence.
Suicide is a greater cause of death than road accidents. Yet the suicide rate among men is three times higher than for women, according to the 2011 Inpes health barometer. In addition, most countries note this excess male mortality. Is their a link male impotence and suicide?
Professor Eric Allaire notes that 30% of patients who consult him for erectile dysfunction report suicidal thoughts. How many men do not consult? how many of them take action?
Is there a link between suicide and erectile dysfunction? We do not currently have enough data to answer this question. We hope to be able to provide some answers over the next few years.