Psychology of impotence

As I have mentioned before my characters are on drugs. Well mainly one drug. Anyway, I was thinking about side effects, for realism, and to an extra motivation when it‘s time for them to get clean (besides you know freedom).

Well I realized it made a lot of sense for the drug to cause impotence, both because of the type of drugs it’s based on, and because it would help justify the lack of sex in most of the book.

The thing is I’m female. I have no clue what if any psychological effect this would have on my male characters.

They are mostly young (17-30), single, and usually have more important things (like survival) on their minds. The one boy who is in a relationship was already planning on waiting for marriage because his fiancé is religious.

Any insight would be helpful.

It wouldn't mean anything to them if they were desperately trying to survive. Death overrides every minor nuisance.

Really, I only see anything happening if they run into a Steve Stiffler, "The Todd," Barney Stinson, etc. and have to deal with their immature attitudes, but people with low sex drives are unlikely to spend time with "playas" because people tend to group with other people that are like them. It's understandable why this real truth is forgone in works of fiction: use of foils.

I suppose worry might set in if Viagra didn't exist and they were completely incapable of getting erections without Viagra, but complete impotency is too unbelievable as a drug's side effect. Generally, drugs that decrease sex drive only decrease it.

According to someone or other, men think about sex every eight seconds. Some men need an outlet for those thoughts. If they can't sleep with a woman, they will—well, use your favorite euphemism.

Impotence means that that outlet is not available, or that it takes a long time. That means frustration, which leads to irritability. If these characters are spending every waking moment on sheer survival, they won't think about it. If they have any spare time, though, some of them will get antsy. They will tell their comrades, who, even if they can't or won't consider actual sex any time soon, will become antsy themselves. And antsy people make mistakes....

One point: impotence is the inability to get or maintain an erection. It is not the inability to reach orgasm.

I can't see why they don't just make out with Miss Rosy Palms. Impotence means they can't get it up. But that don't mean their sex drive has gone down the drain. Trust me.

edited 8th Feb '11 6:12:26 PM by QQQQQ

According to someone or other, men think about sex every eight seconds.

I think this is one of those "little known facts" that gets repeated all over, with the exact number given varying each time, much like the "x second rule" applied to dropped food.

I can't really see the guy worrying about his impotence in a crisis situation. It might be embarassing or bad for his self-esteem, but I doubt it would have any serious psychological impact.

If I was in a situation where I needed to survive I would be more concerned about water, food, shelter, and fire than whether I get an erection or not.

History Maker: Well I realized it made a lot of sense for the drug to cause impotence, both because of the type of drugs it’s based on, and because it would help justify the lack of sex in most of the book.

Wait...

Why do you feel the need to justify the lack of sex in a book with drug-induced impotence, when you can simply not mention about sex at all?

Thanks Everybody

@Rose My characters are on drugs for other reasons; this just made sense as a side effect. Every drug needs side effects :)

Also this is not a momentary disaster more like >5 years in a Crapsack World.

It’s a minor plot point.