Beyond the Hype: Sex in the Real World

“An intellectual is someone who has found something more interesting than sex.”
Anonymous

Our Story Thus Far…

Last week, we discussed that the popular new way of looking at sexual concerns is to treat them as simple matters of plumbing, to be tweaked, fixed and “cured,” etc. by the application of a magic pill. Of course, some sexual concerns are indeed the result of physiological factors. However, my fellow sexologists and I have found that most sexual concerns are actually related to one or more aspects of each of our individual sexual lives. These individual concerns are quite real and deserve more than just a cursory mention. So, for the next few weeks, let's discuss the common origins of many types of sexual concerns.

SEXUAL CONCERNS DUE TO SOCIO-CULTURAL FACTORS

“I Heard That If You Just…”

If only someone would give me a dollar for every concern I hear about that is the result of inadequate information…But I digress (and there goes that dream vacation to Hawaii! Such is the price of being a professional sexologist.).

Ignorance about sex often leads to a feeling of anxiety, which then leads to more anxiety as a person strives for that mythical “correct” or “ideal” misconceived notion they have about sexuality—as though there was such a thing. And let’s not forget about the role played by cultural conflicts—those wonderful messages that stick with us even though we know intellectually that they’re untrue. We all have them, nesting somewhere between our head and heart, ready to zap us with their inherently negative imagery. You may not even remember the origin of these messages, but trust me, they stay with you. You might be like the guy who told me that he had this pervasive vision of his late grandmother looking down from on high every time he began to self-pleasure. Or the woman who heard “slut” (and not in a good way!) each time she even thought about getting up close and personal with someone (try getting turned on when that happens!). You have to ask yourself “what are my assumptions about sex, and where did they come from?” There’s lots of rich material there! You never know who you’ll find when you begin that journey: your childhood priest, your disapproving aunt, your sainted mother, your emotionally distant father…

“You Go Ahead without Me, and I’ll Catch Up…”

Another factor that can play havoc with sex is a lack of interest due to fatigue, or simply a lack of time due to family and work obligations (hello Silicon Valley worker bees!).

So you’re taking a 12-unit class load, working a part-time job and doing a little modeling on the side. Good for you! Not so good for your sex life! Did you truly expect that you could simply flip an internal switch somewhere that lets you dial down your physical fatigue and dial up your level of desire? There’s that insidious little magic pill myth again! Why, if I could just take a pill that gave me energy, desire and focus (dare I say it), I’d have it all! Actually there are pills that might accomplish some of that, not the least of which are those friendly little amphetamines. Sure, they’ll temporarily restore your “energy”—but they also come with unwanted side effects like dry mouth, sweating, tremors and a host of other things. Do you really want to go down that road?

It’s Memorial Day weekend, and the pool and Mai Tais beckon. In the meantime, digest this helpful bit of information, and remember I’ll be right back next week to continue our discussion amid that familiar territory: Relationship issues that affect our sexuality. Fun, fun, fun!!

Wait! I forgot to tell you my favorite new joke:

A grasshopper walks into a bar.
Bartender: “Hey! We’ve got a drink named after you.”
Grasshopper: “Bob?”

With Pleasure,

Dr. J

The Big Lie: Part 2

“I believe that sex is one of the most beautiful, natural,
wholesome things that money can buy.”
Steve Martin

Our Story, Already in Progress

Waaay back on April 4th, we started discussing the latest campaign by the pharmaceutical industry aimed at convincing us that science has found the perfect pill to fix everything from clearing up acne to making sex perfect (whatever that means).

It’s ever so tempting to think that medical science has a patented (and proven?) drug/pill and/or medical device that will increase a person’s sexual desire, longevity and pleasure, and the reason we want to believe in such a thing is because our culture is thoroughly steeped in an “everything right now” attitude about everything, especially when it comes to simple answers to complex questions. “Hmmm, if I take a pill, I won’t ever have to deal with looking at any of the other issues that are bothering me.” The pharmaceutical industry would have us believe that sexual problems are simply medical matters and basic plumbing, so they offer us magic pills and veiled promises of bigger beanstalks. But sexual concerns aren’t simple; they’re complicated. Why? Because every person’s sexuality is comprised of diverse and intricately interwoven layers; and like a snowflake, no two are exactly alike. Also, when you start adding pills into the mix, it’s important to keep in mind that no drug is completely without its side effects.

This Just In

Sexologists are on a mission to expose the kind of promotions that serve corporate profit rather than people's pleasure and satisfaction. We challenge the veracity of those views that reduce sexual experience to mere biology and thereby ignore the many dimensions of real life, real people and real relationships.

While some sexual concerns are the result of physiological factors, Sexologists have found that most are actually related to one or more aspects of our individual sexual lives. These concerns are quite real and deserve more than a cursory mention. Next week we’ll begin an in-depth discussion of the common origins of many sexual concerns.

Moms Rule!

I’m assuming your mother taught you to be a smart consumer: you don’t take things at face value, and you’re not afraid to ask the hard questions. That means if something sounds too good to be true, it’s probably not true. Well duh! Miracle diet pills that promise you’ll lose 10 pounds a week? We’re not buying. However, people tend to feel vulnerable when it comes to sex, so corporations have been highly successful in manipulating consumers (read: us) to spend, spend, $PEND our hard-earned money on a variety of substances. Think of that when you see an ad alleging that there’s a pill that will bring you sexual Nirvana! Be a wise consumer and take their promises with the grain of salt they deserve. Have you got a sexual concern? Do some investigating and figure out what’s really right for your individual situation.

Happy Mother’s Day to those of you who are mothers, have mothers, want to be mothers or know mothers. After all, without our mothers, where would we be today?

With Pleasure,

Dr. J

Down But Not Out

"A man should not leave this earth with unfinished business.

He should live each day as if it was a pre-flight check.

He should ask each morning, am I prepared to lift-off?"

Northern Exposure (1991)

The doc is in mourning. I'll be back next week with Part 2 of "The Big Lie."In the meantime, especially for you new readers, here's a reprise of a very important and enlightening post:

http://drjssexfacts.blogspot.com/2006/08/am-i-normal.html#links

Farewell Derek. Forever in my heart.