Living Without

From Incels to DIY chemical castration in one week. The article, from MEL magazine, points out a growing community of sexually unsatisfied men who would rather severely diminish the libido than living without a sex partner.

Chemical castration used in many countries, as a way to punish sex offenders, has been found to reduce recidivism (re-offending) to as much as 2%. It's an oral or injectable medication, administered by a physician to block testosterone production. 

Once the medication wears off, the boners and sex drive return.

But, what happens in the meantime isn't necessarily pleasant. The side effects can be harsh: Hot flashes.night sweats, osteoporosis, and developing breasts. All things which happen during Andropause, the male version of menopause.

If one is under treatment for prostate cancer or undergoing gender reassignment, it's understandable to use the castration drugs. But, why would a healthy guy want to do this to themselves?

According to author Isabelle Kohn, "many men also seek out chemical castration for a more surprising and insidious reason: they’re dissatisfied with their sex lives. Multiple Reddit threads written by men looking for advice to chemically castrate themselves cite prolonged virginity, sexless marriages or not having an outlet or a supportive community for homosexual desires as the impetus for impotence, with the general consensus being that being horny and lusting after people is nothing more than a giant waste of time."

The saddest examples are the guys who don't feel themselves worthy of a partner. Kohn poinnts out that the societal pressures have contributed to the numbers of men seeking DIY solutions when they are unable to convince a doctor they need it. "That we live in a culture that puts so much pressure on men to be sexual that castrating themselves seems like the only option for escape is, of course, indicative of a much more insidious problem: the toxic gender role that says a man’s worth is based not only on the potency of his sexuality, but the form and the function of his cock. Coupled with #MeToo, the movement to make men more accountable for how they exact their desires, and the gradual unmasking of many male heroes as repugnant sexual predators, it’s not hard to see how the double standard of being too sexual and yet simultaneously not sexual enough could make a guy ... want to tap out altogether."

The loss of the boner as a health barometer is also a negative side effect. 

The raise in risk of developing prostate cancer at a younger age; with breast development, there's a higher risk of breast cancer.

Before you do something to your cock with long-term, unalterable consequences, you need to do some real hard soul searching.

Perhaps talk to a trusted friend to help you decide.

 Have a good weekend. Be a good friend to someone who needs one.