Sexual Dysfunction of Alcohol Dependent Individuals Presenting to Psychiatry Opd in a Tertiary Care Hospital.

BACKGROUND

Chronic alcohol consumption does not just undermine physical health it also quietly chips away at closeness and emotional connection. One of its most ignored results is sexual dysfunction. This study looked at how male sexual function is affected by alcohol consumption and how its severity affects the degree of impairment.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study of 162 alcohol-dependent men and 50 age-matched controls was conducted at the psychiatry OPD of a tertiary care hospital. Administered were validated instruments Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) for alcohol consumption severity, Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT) for ejaculation and International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) for erectile and sexual domains.

RESULTS

Nearly 8 of 10 alcohol-dependent men (77.2%) reported some sort of sexual dysfunction, compared with 44.0% in controls (P < 0.001). Of those, erectile dysfunction (63.0% vs. 18.0%) was the most prevalent, followed by decreased sexual desire (57.4% vs. 28.0%) and early ejaculation (46.3% vs. 28.0%). Significantly, more AUDIT scores were related to more dysfunction in all sexual domains.

CONCLUSION

More drinking, less intimacy the link is obvious. Acknowledging and handling sexual health in these people could help not just their relationships but also their road to recovery.