Did you know that around a quarter of all Britons suffer from a sexual health condition? This can range from a sexually transmitted disease to erectile dysfunction. Nearly two thirds of those affected have admitted that they used the internet to diagnose their condition for themselves, and a further 18 percent of those simply used over the counter medications to treat themselves rather than seeking any kind of proper medical advice or prescription medication. Doctors say that they could be damaging their wellness, because by not getting medical help they could be letting a more serious condition go undiagnosed, and this delay can make things far more serious.
One in ten people in Britain suffer from an STD at some point in their lives, but do not seek medical help because they feel too embarrassed, despite their wellbeing being at risk. They feel ashamed or embarrassed about seeking medical help and they may also feel worried about what the outcome may be if they do have a problem, both in physical and social terms.
Even when the conditions are painful, the research still showed that people were unlikely to seek help, even though they knew that this could have serious repercussions. Those who had not been officially diagnosed often had a view about what they believed their ‘secret sex problem’ to be. Around 35 percent thought that they had an STD, 27 percent felt that they were suffering from erectile dysfunction and 22 percent were experiencing undiagnosed pain during sex.
In this group, just over half of those surveyed said that they were too embarrassed to seek medical help, whilst around 29 percent said that they were too worried about what the outcome might be if they went to see a doctor. Some had discussed the problem with a partner or friends, in lieu of medical advice.
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