Male orgasmic disorder: A new look at an old problem

The past decades have seen remarkable progress in the diagnosis and treatment of male sexual dysfunctions. One vexing problem, which remains stubbornly not amenable to intervention, is what Diagnostic and Statistical Manual jargon currently refers to as Male Orgasmic Disorder (MOD). This article suggests an alternate understanding of the factors contributing to this condition and offers a practice-tested treatment protocol based on this perspective. Not included as a focus is orgasmic/ejaculatory disorder that results from illness, injury, substance abuse or medication side-effects. In contrast to existing pathology models, I suggest that MOD is the result of a conflict between two positive messages heard by most sexually active people, yet for these men, no resolution has been discovered. The following treatment protocol has been developed with an understanding that two values stances - self-control and release - are inherently positive and attempting to tamper with either of them may produce confusion and resistance. Instead, the therapist seeks to create a physical sensation, which could best be described as "controlled release".