We need to talk about Ed, as in ED… erectile dysfunction.
ED is big business. The drug industry raked in an estimated $2.92–$3.31 billion worldwide in 2023-2024.
Why so much coin, you ask?
About 67% of men at age 50 and up to 89% at age 75 experience some form of erectile dysfunction.
What these numbers don’t say is the emotional weight of living with ED. There is minimal conversation about how humiliating, embarrassing, and emasculating it can feel. Or how it wreaks havoc on relationships.
The stats also don’t tell you how to talk about it, or why talking about it feels impossible.
Here’s why…
You’ve been conditioned to believe that your value is tied to performance. Providing. Handling business. And for most men, that includes sex.
Hard dick = doing your job. No erection = failure.
So when erections become unreliable, it doesn’t just feel like a physical problem. It feels like proof that you’re not man enough. And shame keeps you silent.
If you’re living with ED, you know how heavy it is. The dread. And unpredictability. The way it makes you question your masculinity.
For the next six weeks, we’re going there. Not just the mechanics and fixes. We’ll get into how to talk about it, navigating sex despite it, and maintaining desire and connection.
In this episode, I break down what carrying this weight actually looks like. And the three most common ways men deal with (or avoid dealing with) ED.
Talking about it won’t make it go away. But it will relieve some of the pressure. And that’s where we start.
Listen here (up there 👆🏾) or on your favorite platform.
