British men say they are too stressed, overworked and drink too much to get an erection research by Co-Op Pharmacy reveals.
50% of British guys in their thirties admit they are struggling in the bedroom. Sadly, many say they would rather split from their other half than discuss their problems.
43% of men aged 18-60 across the UK are suffering impotence. 4 in 10 men blame stress, followed by tiredness (36%), anxiety (29%) and boozing too heavily (26%).
Atomik Research polled 2,000 men for Co-op Pharmacy. The pharmacy is launching a social media campaign #Whatdoyoucallit in a bid to stamp out the stigma of impotence.
The research has revealed that the largest affected age group of men with erectile dysfunction is men in their thirties. 50% report that they have experienced difficulties getting or maintaining an erection. This compares to 42% in their 40s, 41% in their 50s, and 35% of under 30s.
49% of men in their thirties think stress from work and their personal life is the most likely cause of their problem. Although 24% blame drinking too much alcohol as a main cause.
31% have felt a strain on their relationship as a result of their problems. 31% have even broken up with a partner due to the issue. 25% have lost confidence when dating and 21% have suffered mental health problems as a result.
The research also revealed that 31% of men affected in their 30s have obtained Viagra from a doctor. This is compared to 17% in their 40s. But 62% of men in their 30s would rather send their partner to the GP to get medication on their behalf.
19% of men affected in their 30s have bought Viagra from a source other than their GP or registered online service.
The survey of 2,000 men conducted was by Atomik Research. It comes as Britain becomes the first country in the world to sell Viagra without a prescription.
33% of men aged 18-60 said they have not told anyone about their erectile dysfunction. Only 28% have gone to their GP and just nine percent have discussed it with another man in the family. 43% of those affected by impotence say they could not discuss the issue with friends. 23% would even feel uncomfortable discussing it with a GP.
In fact a staggering 27% of men say they would rather break up with their partner than talk to their GP about being unable to get an erection. 24% of men said they felt unable to talk to their partners about erectile dysfunction. 22% said it had actually led to a breakup.
Co-op Pharmacies is launching its #Whatdoyoucallit campaign to highlight the fact that whatever word men choose to use to refer to their penis, there should not be any shame about it.
50% of all men questioned said they felt stressed at least once a week. 52% of those blame stress on work.
60% of men who say they feel stressed most days have erectile difficulties, compared to 23% that rarely feel stressed and just 19% who never feel stressed.
Staying late at the office also affects men’s performance in bed. In fact, 57% of those who work late most days having problems.
65% of men who drink six or more units of alcohol in a single session more than three times a week experience difficulties. Whereas just 33% that never drink too much have problems.
The survey showed nearly 29% of men aged between 30-39 felt depressed after suffering impotence.
75% of men aged 18-60 who feel pressurised to start a family or have more kids said they experienced erectile dysfunction.
Get involved with the conversation and start talking about the issue by following www.facebook.com/cooppharmacycoop and #Whatdoyoucallit.
View the full case study here to find out how we carried out this research and the coverage it generated.
