Human Sexuality and Its Problems. The Name

Human Sexuality and its Problems. The name of the work reviewed for purposes of this report is "Human Sexuality and its Problems" by John Bancroft, MD, FRCPscych. The work was published by Churchill Livingstone in Edinburgh, London in 1989. First published in 1983, the work was reprinted during the following years: 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1999. The book includes an index including the following: Sexual Disorders, Sex (Psychology), Sex (Biology), Title, Sex Behavior, Sex Disorders. The author sought to accomplish two purposes. First, the book was intended to aid health professionals working with sexual problems.

The "wider purpose" of the book however, was to help readers understand how a variety of factors and human interactions actually affect human sexuality. Bancroft argues that understanding human sexuality is contingent upon the ability of people to grasp the complex relationship between mind and body interaction. The author successfully provides a foundation for relating mental and physical factors that affect human sexuality. For example, the author describes biological characteristics related to the physicality of human sexuality that are critical to conceptualizing human interaction.

Included in the book is a discussion of how sexual excitement and pleasurable sensations, heightened awareness and erotic sensations involve "some form of central neurophsyiological arousal." He also links cognitive processes or the mental aspect of human sexuality with physical responses, discussing how the body is a complex "interplay of psychological and somatic processes" whereby sexual excitement is not only accompanied by physical responses such as heart rate changes, but cognitive responses such as euphoria and self assuredness. Bancroft's book is divided into several sections.

In the beginning Bancroft explores the nature of Human Sexuality from primarily a biological basis. In this section of the work, Bancroft discusses purely "biological" aspects of human sexuality, including but not limited to feelings associated with the genitalia, the "erection of the penis, the tumescence and lubrication of the vagina, heightened awareness of pleasurable erotic sensations" as well as changes in our subjective state related to sexual excitement. According to Bancroft, the cognitive component of sexual arousal and interpersonal relationships are critical to sexuality.

Sexual excitement according to Bancroft is a complex intertwining of responses related to overall cardiovascular response, blood pressure changes and heart rate changes. Orgasm involves not only central brain processes but also peripheral effects including muscular contraction, all of which are predominately involuntary. Interestingly, Bancroft then proceeds to delve into the arena of Human Sexuality from a philosophical and observational standpoint. He notes how an increased interest in human sexual behavior has arisen in the last decade or so.

He also examines historical evidence of changing patterns of sexual behavior, including observation of cross-cultural anthropological studies which examine sexual behavior in both primitive societies and modern societies. Interestingly, Bancroft also delves into the realm of medical practice as related to Human Sexuality. He breaks the notion of Human Sexuality down into a scientific experiment of sorts, describing both the direct physical and indirect psychological effect of human sexuality.

Related to the direct physical effects of human sexuality, Bancroft discusses genital and vascular responses, and potential "side effects" of sexuality including pain, general malaise, fatigue and lack of desire. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Bancroft describes psychological effects often associated with Human Sexuality, including effects on the individual and the effects of an individual in a relationship.

According to Bancroft, the psychological effects of Human Sexuality might include (but are not limited to) the following: Embarrassment, feeling sexually unattractive, generally experiencing a loss of self-esteem, fatigue, postural changes and dependency issues (Bancroft, 552). Bancroft also includes a section in his work that specifically addressing counseling issues that might arise from patients attending sexual therapy sessions. Bancroft addresses the idea that sex is "a natural function, like digestion- and like digestion, can be upset by a whole variety of problems, usually not involving physical factors" (Bancroft, 535).

Bancroft seems to rely more heavily upon psychological sexual components than psychological ones in this respect. Bancroft also is a proponent it seems of allowing sex to happen in a natural and relaxed manner. The book was very interesting, as it delved into the topic of human sexuality from a very broad perspective. It covered human sexuality from adolescence to the elderly, which I personally found very interesting.

It was interesting for example, reading information such as "there is little evidence of any ageing in the sexual capacities of the female until late in life" (Bancroft, 282). I found that sexuality is very much impactful for young as well as elderly.