The Psychological Impact of Gynecomastia on Men
(511 Words)
Gynecomastia, the condition in which a man possesses abnormally large breasts, can have devastating psychological consequences. A variety of factors can cause this state, including puberty, abuse of steroids, obesity, drug use, aging tumors, genetic disorders, liver disease, medication use, castration, Klinefelter Syndrome and Gilbert’s Syndrome. It occurs not infrequently in adolescent boys, and 90% of the time is disappears shortly. For the remaining ten percent of men, this condition can play havoc with their emotions.
Men with gynecomastia often feel a lot of embarrassment. Obviously breasts are associated with femininity rather than masculinity, thus a man with this condition may feel very self-conscious. He may feel like he is not as much of a man, although of course this is not true. He may be ashamed of how he looks, even though it is often not his fault.
Some men with gynecomastia may feel depression because of how they look. Especially those who are prone to feeling of sadness may have it magnified. They may be extremely self-conscious and self-aware of themselves and their faults.
Some men with gynecomastia feel a lot of anxiety for others to see them, especially in a situation without a shirt such as while swimming. They may feel that others will reject or mock them if they learned about this condition.
Gynecomastia can have a great effect on men’s feelings with regards to relationships. It may be difficult for them to get into a situation in which they may be intimate with a woman because they may be afraid of her reaction. They may avoid relationships because of that or have difficulty simply talking to women.
Some men with gynecomastia feel like outsiders. They may stay away from others because of this condition. They may display antisocial behavior.
If a man has been teased or shamed by others, then the psychological impact of gynecomastia can run even deeper. He may make more of an effort to stay away from others and fall deeper into depression, facing other social anxieties.
What can a man with gynecomastia do to help relieve some of the psychological symptoms of this disease? Many will choose to have surgery to reduce the size of their breasts (of course those with an underlying medical condition may need to address that first). With a new look, many of the psychological effects will be addressed. Even with surgery, they may still have to do some work to deal with emotional pain that may have been present for many years.
Those who do not wish to pursue physical remedies can try a number of other strategies to deal with the psychological effects of gynecomastia. They may try to see a psychologist. They can read books on dealing with this condition. They can surround themselves with supportive friends. They can try to raise their self-esteem by understanding that gynecomastia does not define them.
Gynecomastia can have a great impact on a man. It is important for a man to understand all about this condition so that he may best deal with its psychological impact.
https://www.gynecomastia.org/content/general/gynart.shtml
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Psychological-Effects-That-Having-Gynecomastia-Has-on-Men&id=2715847