
Scientists pinpoint the personality traits that stop men being bad at sex and helps them last longer
It's been discovered that less impulsive men are more likely to last longer in bed.
According to a study in Turkey, qualities such as being a good planner, practice patience, and approaching situations without urgency make males less likely to suffer extreme premature ejaculation.
Meanwhile, guys act on their impulses lack stamina during intimate situations.
Researchers divided 80 men, aged 18 to 45, into four subgroups: those who suffered with no sexual or psychological problems who ejaculated before sex, within 15 seconds of penetration, within 15 to 30 seconds, and within 30 to 60 seconds.
Those with the shortest times, tended to score highest on impulsivity measures, particularly in the areas of urgency and impulsiveness. They also showed more sensation-seeking behavior and lower dedication to tasks.
Researchers suggested there could be a relationship between low self-control and extremely rapid ejaculation, as men who struggle to tame their urges tend to act without thinking and are less likely to be able to delay sexual gratification.
Anxiety and depression were also more prevalent among men with the condition.
On average, those with the sexual problem scored around six times higher on measures of depression and nearly five times more on anxiety compared to healthier men.
Erectile problems coupled with mood disorders are typically treated with antidepressants, however, the researchers suggest approaches that improve self-regulation, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, could help men last longer in bed.
Premature ejaculation's when a man climaxes earlier than normal. Studies suggest it normally takes men about five-and-a-half minutes to orgasm during sex.
However, for about one in three, it occurs within three minutes.
Scientists say that both psychological and physical factors can lead to the problem, including stress, depression, and anxiety.
To overcome premature ejaculation, a regimen of tensing and relaxing the pelvic floor muscles, known as Kegel exercises, has been shown to help extend intimacy timings by two minutes.
A 2014 study asked male participants to perform the repetitive contractions for an hour, three times a week for 12 weeks.
Published in the journal Therapeutic Advances in Urology, a study by Italian doctors from the Sapienza University included 40 men who had dealt with premature ejaculation for much of their lives.
By the end of the research, 83 per cent of the patients had gained control of their ejaculatory reflex and were able to 'last' about two minutes and 40 seconds longer than the average duration at the start of the study.
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Medical News Today
34 minutes ago
- Medical News Today
Psilocybin for IBS: Could altering the mind help alter the gut?
Could magic mushrooms help relieve symptoms and treat IBS? A new study aims to find out. Irina Efremova/Stocksy Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common conditions affecting the gut. Despite its prevalence and decades of research, treatments are limited, and the underlying causes remain shrouded in mystery. An ongoing study, conducted by Erin Mauney, MD, is taking a fascinating new approach to this mysterious condition: psychedelics, and more specifically psilocybin. In this article, we will investigate why researcher Erin Mauney believes psilocybin — the active compound in magic mushrooms — might help treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and how her ongoing research is breaking new ground. To help us understand how altering the mind might alter the gut, we will first explore the links between body and brain. Historically — and, to a certain extent, still today — the mind and body have been considered separate. As science has progressed, it has become increasingly clear that, of course, the mind is part of the body. There is no separation. The brain is in tight communication with the body at all times via nerves and chemicals, like hormones and neurotransmitters, and the body talks back in the same language. This two-way interaction is perhaps most pronounced between the brain and the gut. The enteric nervous system (the nervous system of the gut) is the second-largest nervous system in the body after the brain. Some experts even refer to the gut as our 'second brain.' Although the enteric nervous system evolved first, so we could consider it the ' first brain .' Aside from their shared ancient pedigree, why would the gut and brain share such a tight link? In our modern world, where we are never more than 20 meters from a bagel, it is easy to forget that life on the Savannah millennia ago was much less convenient. The gut needed to tell the brain when it required refilling with enough time to hunt, scavenge, or forage for its next meal. As the food is ingested, the brain needs to ask the gut to ramp up its operations and prepare to digest. This relationship helps explain why we can feel longing in the pit of our stomach, and butterflies dance in our intestines when we feel excited: The gut and brain are in cahoots. Speaking in a recent interview, published in the journal Psychedelics , Mauney explains how, during her gastroenterology training, she 'became aware of how common trauma, especially early life trauma, is in the human experience.' 'Although there is more discussion in pediatrics about the cumulative effects of toxic stress over the lifespan,' she continues, 'I think overall this is an area that medicine, particularly gastroenterology and obesity medicine, really fails to understand and address meaningfully.' This piqued her interest in psychological approaches to gut issues. These links have led researchers to believe that IBS has a strong gut-brain component. Mauney and colleagues are currently embarking on the first-ever study to investigate whether talking therapy in conjunction with psilocybin might help relieve symptoms of IBS. Speaking in an interview with the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology ( JC G), Mauney explained that around 60% of people with IBS do not respond to first-line therapies, such as dietary interventions or medications. So, the scientists recruited people with IBS who had already tried a wide range of approaches without experiencing significant benefits. This, she explains, included talking therapies, mind-body therapies, dietary changes, and drugs. In her JC G interview, Mauney explains how psilocybin acts 'transdiagnostically.' In other words, it can alter a range of psychological domains that are common across multiple mental health conditions. For instance, she explains how the drug can influence psychological characteristics such as: Rigidity: An inability to adapt or change. An inability to adapt or change. Rumination: Dwelling on negative thoughts and feelings. Dwelling on negative thoughts and feelings. Anxious over-focus on the self: A preoccupation with personal matters, while almost forgetting the outside world. She also says that psychedelics like psilocybin can help some people shift ingrained thought patterns, which is another facet of many mental health conditions, and some people with IBS. Beyond the psychological aspects of psilocybin treatment, Mauney also has some gut-focused theories. As the gut digests food, it squeezes, swells, deflates, and so on. For most people, these movements cause no distress or go unnoticed. For people with IBS, however, these routine movements may cause discomfort or pain. This is called visceral hypersensitivity. Research in animals suggests that a subtype of serotonin receptors in the gut, called 5HT2a receptors, might play a role in visceral hypersensitivity. Why does this matter? Psilocybin primarily works by activating 5HT2a receptors — so, perhaps it might reduce these uncomfortable sensations. Aside from this link, as Mauney explains in her JCG interview, scientists have also explored whether psilocybin might reduce pain in general. For instance, researchers have examined, with differing results, whether psilocybin could help in the treatment of migraine headaches, chronic neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, and more. Because IBS causes visceral pain, this is yet another potential mechanism by which it may impart benefits. With its potential to influence psychology, visceral hypersensitivity, pain, and inflammation, psilocybin is a hopeful candidate for the treatment of IBS. Now, we just need to see the data. Mauney and colleagues' ongoing study was halfway through enrollment as of her April 24th JC G interview. Although she was cautious not to preempt the findings, Mauney was excited to share that at least some of the participants had experienced benefits. In the study, participants are paired with two medical professionals with backgrounds in psychotherapy or psychiatry. Each of the two therapy sessions (two weeks apart) involves the 'dosing' part of the study, where the participant takes psilocybin and relaxes while listening to a carefully curated playlist. Then, the three of them discuss the participants' symptoms, previous life experiences, and whatever comes up during the session. In total, these sessions last 6–8 hours. Mauney explains how the psilocybin 'acts as an amplifier of therapeutic processes,' perhaps enhancing standard talking therapy. Although this approach has not worked for everyone in the trial, for some, Mauney says, it has. She explains that it has encouraged some individuals to engage deeply with difficult parts of their lives, make meaningful changes that they could not manage before, or influence close relationships in ways that have led to reduced symptoms. For others, their symptoms have remained unchanged, but they report that the symptoms are no longer so bothersome. Medical News Today reached out to Ruvini Wijetilaka, MD, a board certified Internal Medicine Physician at Mecca Health, who was not involved in the study. 'As a physician, I find this early research into psilocybin-assisted therapy for treatment-resistant IBS intriguing and encouraging,' she explained. 'IBS is a complex condition rooted in the brain-gut connection,' she continued, 'and traditional treatments don't always work for everyone.' 'In cases where symptoms persist despite initial interventions, psilocybin may offer a promising alternative for targeting the neurological pathways involved. It's an exciting area of exploration for patients who experience chronic, unrelenting symptoms and have few remaining options.' — Ruvini Wijetilaka, MD Mauney's study is the first to look at this relationship, and the preliminary results are encouraging. However, as she explains, the study is not yet complete, and it might not work. With that said, because the mechanistic theory is promising, and it seems that at least some people have already benefited, we might be forgiven for being optimistic. 'It might sound a little bit out there to the average gastroenterologist,' says Mauney. 'But I think this is really what's needed, and what our patients are calling out for. […] A holistic approach to their suffering.' 'People with IBS that are not responding to available treatments need more options. Under the right conditions, psychedelics are worth a try for this group,' he said. However, he also suggested comparing its efficacy with Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy (EAET), which he told us has had some success in the treatment of 'people with chronic musculoskeletal pain, back pain (when combined with mindfulness), and long COVID.' Psilocybin is unlikely to work for everyone, but Mauney hopes that, at least for some, this intervention could improve thought processes and relieve the negative impact of a chronic condition that remains poorly understood. 'While more concrete research is needed on this, the study could mark a meaningful shift in how we approach IBS care and gut health as a whole,' concluded Wijetilaka.


Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Suicide tragedy of PE teacher, 31, with no history of mental health problems after taking online course of unlicensed hair loss drug in Dubai
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Mr Applegarth was brought up in Outwood, near Wakefield, West Yorkshire, and after working for the Rugby Football League took up teaching science and PE at Minsthorpe High School. After his death one parent praised him as an 'absolute diamond and role model'. Wakefield Coroner's Court heard that since 2015 he had been concerned about losing his hair and visited top specialist Dr Bessam Farjo at his trichology clinic in Manchester. Dr Farjo told the hearing that Mr Applegarth visited for consultations and advice, but was never prescribed any drugs. Sam Applegarth's heartbroken girlfriend Anya Guy, 30, pictured outside his inquest in Wakefield today, urged anybody having suicidal thoughts after taking dutasteride to inform medical experts He was aware that Mr Applegarth had started taking minoxidil, which is easily available over the counter at pharmacies such as Boots. The teacher later complemented it with doses of finasteride, which has been linked to terrifying side-effects including erectile dysfunction, depression and anxiety. Dr Farjo told coroner Oliver Longstaff that Mr Applegarth had 'self-sourced' those drugs and both had been happy with their effects. In 2017 Mr Applegarth underwent a successful hair transplant at the clinic. In follow-up consultations Mr Applegarth informed the doctor that he had also undergone platelet-rich plasma treatment, where a concentrated portion of his own blood was injected in a bid to rejuvenate his hair. He had also had his head tattooed to give the appearance of hair, in a process called scalp micro pigmentation. 'He was happy with the overall appearance after the tattoo,' Dr Farjo told the inquest. Mr Applegarth last saw Dr Farjo in July 2024, two months before he flew to Dubai. Leading hair loss expert Dr Bessam Farjo, who saw Sam Applegarth at his clinic in Manchester but did not prescribe him medication, told today's inquest in Wakefield there may be an under-reporting of suicidal ideation by patients following a course of dutasteride He reported still taking minoxidil and finasteride tablets, which he had sourced himself. He was also using camouflage products to conceal his hair loss and the doctor suggested cognitive therapy to alleviate his anxiety about going bald. 'He was a young man with an exaggerated view about how big an issue his hair loss was,' said the doctor. 'I had no concerns he was having any side-effects from the drugs.' He stated that 'suicidal ideation' is one recognised side effect of taking finasteride. But if a patient had not experienced those thoughts whilst on the drug they would not suffer them after the drug is out of their system. Dr Farjo said he was unaware that Mr Applegarth had begun taking dutasteride, which he described as 'more powerful' than finasteride. He said the known side-effects of both drugs are the same, apart from the fact finasteride has been reported by the British National Formulary to cause suicidal ideation. Dr Farjo acknowledged, under questioning from Ms Guy, there may be an under-reporting of suicidal ideation by patients following a course of dutasteride. 'Dutasteride is not licensed for hair loss in this country and it is not commonly prescribed,' he said. 'The reason the BNF suicide ideation is not mentioned for dutasteride is because it has not been reported, whereas it has been reported for finasteride.' Dr Farjo said that it would have been easy for Mr Applegarth to access a course of dutasteride himself. 'Unfortunately, it is not difficult to get medication online,' he said. He said numerous private medical supply companies are 'sprouting up' to prescribe drugs to patients, without seeing them in person. Ms Guy told the inquest that Mr Applegarth had moved to Dubai to teach in August last year, with a view to her joining him at a later date. She said he had 'struggled at times with his self-esteem' due to his perceived hair loss, but she felt his condition was not a bad as he believed. His GP and family told the inquest Mr Applegarth had no history of mental illness or self harm and was a 'bright and happy individual'. He appeared to be thriving in Dubai, enjoying swims, the gym and getting in more than 20,000 steps a day, the inquest heard. However, he was found hanging in his apartment by a work colleague on September 19 - just five weeks after arriving in Dubai. He left no suicide note and a post-mortem found no alcohol or drugs in his system. Following Mr Longstaff's conclusion of suicide, Ms Guy said outside court that she hoped people who may be suffering suicidal thoughts whilst taking dutasteride would come forward. She said: 'People feeling by side-effects with dutasteride should report them, especially if they are feeling suicidal. 'People need to be aware that they may be having suicidal ideation because of the drug.' Following Mr Applegarth's tragic death, Craig Shepherd, who recruited him to work at Wakefield Trinity Rugby League Club, said: 'It was inevitable Sam went on to be a massive success in teaching. 'He was so loved by all who knew him. RIP Sam.' Anita Godfrey responded by posting: 'An absolute diamond and role model he really engaged my three in rugby league and would go above and beyond.' For confidential support, call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit


BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
Lancashire NHS trust told to improve mental health staff shortage
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