BEYOND VIAGRA

A blast of good sense from a knowledgeable source, this puts Viagra in a proper perspective as a treatment for impotence. Psychiatrist Melchiode has been a therapist in human sexuality for more than 30 years, and he knows a real step forward when he sees one: when used as part of a well-thought-out therapeutic plan, Viagra can be key in relieving what he rightly terms the “soul-wrenching condition” of impotence, and in repairing “all-important human relationships that support our whole social structure.” For sufferers, Melchiode explains what Viagra is and how it works, and discusses the diagnosis and evaluation of sexual dysfunction in men (the first step is always a thorough medical exam and consultation with a urologist). He then goes into depth on the various causes of impotence, complete with realistic and instructive case histories—always with an eye as to whether Viagra would be an appropriate treatment. Melchiode makes his case neatly: the physical, emotional, and social are all inevitably intertwined, and in the hands of an experienced practitioner, Viagra is a crucial part of treatment. But no drug will ever “serve as an antidote for deceit, divorce, and empty or disrupted lives.”