Mental and emotional effects of cancer treatment

Fears about erections can sometimes lead to problems. Instead of letting go and feeling excited, a man may be worried about how well he does. His fear of failure can make him fail.

Erection problems caused by anxiety and stress are more common in young healthy men. Therapy can often help. But all men with erection problems should be carefully checked by their doctors.

Men who no longer have their testicles or who are on hormone therapy drugs often feel like “less of a man.” They fear they may start to look and act like a woman. Keep in mind that manhood does not depend on hormones but on a lifetime of being male. Hormone treatment for prostate cancer may lower a man’s desire for sex, but it does not change who he desires.

Hormone therapy in men has been linked to depression. If you think this is a problem for you, talk to your doctor. Depression can be treated with drugs and/or counseling.