Taking Viagra when you don't need it? You may be setting the, er, bar too high for yourself, leading to real sexual dysfunction later on.A study recently published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine surveyed 1200 college-age men, and found that those who used Viagra recreationally (6 percent of the subjects) were more likely to experience subsequent difficulty in sexual performance.
Using unneeded ED drugs doesn't cause any physical damage, according to urologists, but it can create a psychological dependence. Viagra abuse can make young men more prone to "self-monitoring" of their erections during sex. That kind of self-consciousness and anxiety about adequacy can lead to real difficulties in performing when the drug is not available.
Paradoxically, the study also found that men who used Viagra for kicks were actually less satisfied with their sex lives overall than non-users, and were less confident about their ability to achieve and maintain an erection.
The study's authors admit they don't know if the subjects began taking ED drugs in the first place because they had anxiety about sexual performance, but it's clear if that was the case, the drugs didn't help the users' original concerns, and may have undermined the confidence of healthy individuals.
