Fear of abandonment, importantly, is common among both men and women, and impacts symptom magnification for many patients. And indeed , it is difficult for a mate to justify leaving an ill spouse, even if the relationship was unstable prior to illness or injury. Patients may, consciously or unconsciously, utilize their physical symptoms to mask sexual problems, and to concurrently insure that the mate remains invested in their recovery. Injured individuals frequently gain weight due to inactivity and increased food intake. Obviously, obesity can then, in turn, become a complication to the sexual relationship due to potentially decreased physical appeal.
Sexual dysfunction can amplify the patient s perceptions of the severity of their condition.
Thus, while the physical condition may not be disabling, the psychological impact of the associated sexual dysfunction can erode the patient s perceptions of functional capacity. The sexual disorder, because of its importance, becomes the single factor by which a patient measures the degree of their disability or recovery. Men appear to have more difficulty acknowledging that a sexual disorder has occurred, and more difficulty accepting that there may be a psychological component to the disorder. The consequent delay in seeking care allows the symptoms to become entrenched and resistant to change. When sexual dysfunction is suspected, evaluation should occur without delay.