The Truth About Male Vulnerability: An Analysis of the Current Situation, From Frequency of Medical Visits and Psychological Weaknesses to the Shortage of Urologists [i]

Men visit doctors far less frequently than women. They often deny any illness and don't see a doctor often. Men experience more conflicts and emotional problems than women. If a marriage fails, it often leads to a relatively higher mortality rate for men (twice as high as for women). Men are reluctant to expose their weaknesses, believing that weakness is inconsistent with the image of masculinity. For a long time, there have been no doctors specializing in men's diseases. Women have trusted gynecologists who provide a variety of medical services to female patients from youth to old age. But until now, there have been no male specialists providing this kind of regular medical care to men. Professor Heinrich M. Schulte, an internist and endocrinologist in Hamburg, said, "This situation should change in the future." He collaborated with the Men's Health Association to establish the first men's clinic in Germany. In two men's medical centers in Hamburg and Constance, and the first 27 men's clinics throughout Germany, doctors comprehensively and systematically treat male patients using the latest treatment methods in the world, encouraging them to actively engage in proper prevention and health care, and to rationally arrange their lifestyles. These men's clinics specialize in treating a wide range of male ailments, from prostate problems, hair loss, and hormonal disorders to heart and circulatory system diseases and depression-a comprehensive range of specialties. The establishment of the Men's Health Association has finally made "male specialists" a reality. "A man's happiness doesn't come from simply having a healthy body." Many men still don't fully accept this view. "Until now, many men believe that their appearance and physical condition are primarily women's concerns," summarizes Professor Harrison G. Popper of Harvard Medical School. "Today, people's views on image are completely different from the past, and more and more men are dissatisfied with their appearance. They spend a lot of time researching this issue." A study by "Modern Psychology" shows that 58% of men are dieting to lose weight; 40% of men spend half of their exercise time specifically on weight loss; 30% of men believe they smoke to maintain their weight; and 4% of men say they vomit immediately after eating to prevent weight gain. The percentage of dissatisfaction fluctuates with age, reaching 48% for men aged 40-49 and 50-59. Men's lifestyles have fundamentally changed over the past few centuries, including their understanding of their own bodies. Health is now a central concern, making it essential to cultivate a new health consciousness. We now know that overwork, unhealthy lifestyles, lack of exercise, poor diet, alcohol and nicotine, coupled with aggressive, indulgent, and adventurous behaviors, are all contributing factors to premature male death. But this understanding alone is insufficient. Stress, overwork, alcoholism, and improper diet harm men's health. Are these the only explanations for the seven-year lifespan difference between men and women? Rolf-Dieter Hersch, an endocrinologist and scientist at the University of Konstanz in Germany, says no. Based on the latest scientific and microbiological research papers, he proposes a startling theory: male brain neurons are influenced by male hormones (testosterone), while female brain neurons are influenced by female hormones (estrogen). The testosterone-influenced brain perceives and interprets the external world differently than the female brain. The testosterone-influenced brain has historically exhibited authoritarian behaviors, while the estrogen-dominated female brain is completely incapable of doing so. Hersch concludes that the female mind, influenced by estrogen, resists rape. In contrast, the male mind, through evolution, has been further strengthened, leading to the conclusion that the male world is a world of power. This power is directed not only at third parties but also at oneself. For a long time, men have constantly increased the pressure on themselves in competition with rivals. In today's highly competitive society, men are even more driven to achieve results. To maintain their position in the competition, they often place themselves under high-intensity, sustained pressure. Professor Hersch says, "If men no longer forced themselves to act, to strive for an advantageous position in a hierarchical society, and instead of constantly placing themselves under the pressure of exhaustion and the pursuit of results to gain a foothold in competition with other rivals, then men's health would not suffer the extent of damage it has today." How to solve this problem? Hersch believes that a new model of social education must be found. Whether in professional or private life, the coercive model must be abandoned, and ways to build new partnerships and develop cross-gender communication must be found. Only when the heavy pressure of pursuing achievement disappears can men pay more attention to their bodies. These problems can only be solved through appropriate measures taken by society. If attitudes cannot be fundamentally changed, then medicine can only play a remedial role. [i]