Supplementary analysis of male-specific diseases and psychological needs during disease states

Many diseases unique to men have not been discussed in detail because they are relatively uncommon or not life-threatening. Men are more likely than women to suffer from peptic ulcers, hernias, gout, paralysis, psoriasis, sebaceous gland disorders, and kidney stones. Kidney stones affect 10% of the population-mostly middle-aged men-and are treatable surgically or non-surgically. Men also have a higher incidence of orthopedic conditions before age 50-55. Women, on the other hand, are more likely to develop these conditions after age 50-55 because they are more prone to osteoporosis. However, older men can also develop osteoporosis. Besides age and sex, the main risk factors for this disease include smoking, alcohol consumption, and lack of weight-bearing exercise. For men, the best ways to prevent osteoporosis are to quit smoking, reduce alcohol consumption, consume 100mg of calcium daily from their diet, and engage in lifelong weight-bearing exercise. Many men's health problems, whether minor or major, are exacerbated by societal attitudes that don't seem very positive about men being sick. Illness makes many men feel passive, dependent, and out of control. A woman's efforts to become a man's "mother," her overprotectiveness, can cause him to reject her efforts. The first man to read the following list smiled approvingly. Developed by Dr. Jewell, this list notes many appropriate ways to care for a patient. A patient can request: Don't panic: the hysteria of others will only make me feel more desperate. Relax: Take care of daily household chores and handle medical formalities. Alleviate my loneliness: Talk to me. Protect me when I'm desperate. Be with me, especially after surgery. Encourage me to cry and complain. Accept my anger and nervousness. Provide entertainment. Make my environment comfortable. If my illness is serious, try to find out about it, but don't tell me you might not want to know. Let the doctor be the expert. Be patient with me. Remember: Illness will reveal everyone's best and worst. Tell me you love me. Addictions-whether addictive drugs like alcohol, cocaine, and nicotine, or unhealthy relationships-often begin with unmet, unconscious needs, not for the euphoria of the substance itself, but for: numbing the emotional pain of significant loss; relieving temporary anxiety and fear; and escaping prolonged feelings of depression, boredom, separation, loneliness, and abandonment. However, the escape is temporary. Thus, the extreme suffering inherent in the addiction itself follows: guilt, shame, fear, anxiety, interpersonal conflict, and health damage. Alcoholism and addiction are termed "quasi-suicidal behavior." Of all additives, alcohol is the most obvious and socially acceptable. In the United States, the average person consumes about 2.75 gallons of pure alcohol per year. However, one-third of people claim to never drink alcoholic beverages. The remaining third consume 95% of their total alcohol consumption. The latter includes approximately 14 million Americans-two-thirds of whom are men-who have alcohol-related problems. Despite the prevalence of social drinking, it's difficult to discern the truth: you can't be addicted to alcohol if you only drink beer. (False. Beer also contains the addictive substance ethanol.) If you feel depressed, alcohol can uplift you. (False. Alcohol can uplift you temporarily; it will only make you more depressed afterward.) Sex is better after drinking. (False. Alcohol can stimulate desire, but it robs you of the ability to perform.) Men are more likely to become addicted to alcohol than women. (True. Two out of three alcoholics are men.) Drinking shortens lifespan. (True. Long-term excessive drinking can shorten average lifespan by 12 years.) Young people start drinking for fun, to experiment, to rebel against their parents, and to become "adults." Many people, encouraged by social media, equate drinking with masculinity, success, and sexual attractiveness. Regardless of the reason, one in 13 people who start drinking will eventually develop alcoholism, usually around 15 years into their drinking. Scientific evidence suggests that alcoholism can be inherited. Children adopted by alcoholics, even at a young age, have a higher rate of alcoholism than children adopted by non-alcoholic parents. Sons of alcoholic parents have a particularly high rate of alcoholism.