Have you heard of the Locker Room Syndrome? It’s how one half of all men believe that their penis is smaller than average, especially when compared to their peers. As with all insecurities, this can cause paranoia, depression, and anxiety.
Too small, too thin, too thick… Whoever claims to have never compared his penis to others in the showers or urinals is simply not telling the truth. This complex, which is rooted in sexual insecurity, is called “Locker Room Syndrome”; and it can turn into a real obsession.
The Syndrome is linked to assumptions of a larger penis
The insecurity, which is also known as genital dysmorphophobia, is a complex that affects about half of all men in the UK. This disorder results in disappointment and discomfort related to the size of their penis. And yes, this is not a new obsession – for millennia, men have fixated on their junk, seeing it as a symbol of virility and fertility.
What is a ‘normal’ penis size?
In the UK, the average penis size while erect is 5.6 inches, or 14.2cm. While flaccid, because men aren’t walking around with a permanent erection, the average size is 3.5 inches or 9cm. This is probably smaller than you might imagine – the average is far removed from pornography, which clearly paints an unrealistic image for men.
What about the famous micropenis? The medical definition describes an erect micropenis to be no more than 7cm when erect, or 2.8 inches. This is far less common than you may imagine with only 0.06% of men falling into this bracket. This aside, those that are impacted can suffer a huge knock to their confidence and feel shame over the situation.
However some men who actually are of average length can convince themselves that they fall into this smaller percentile. Despite being the norm they believe that everyone else has a larger penis, and as a result they can also feel the same drops in confidence. This is the Locker Room Syndrome in full effect – when stealing a glance at another man’s package you are unlikely to get a full picture and will fill in the gaps with your imagination. Unfortunately that can give the wrong impression.
The idea of being well-endowed has done a lot of damage
Ronald Virag, the author of the book ‘The Sex of Man’, states that male depression is only exacerbated by the syndrome, and that changes on a cultural level need to happen to radically change opinions. This phobia is only amplified by women being told themselves that a larger penis is more desirable, and by porn featuring actors with penis sizes so excessive that they themselves can suffer from severe health issues..
Little penis anxiety
Despite the name, Locker Room Syndrome can also have a significant impact while you are dressed and your junk is in the trunk.
Men with a small penis develop paranoia not just when around other men, but in all aspects of their lives. They are convinced that everybody else knows about what they think is a small package and are laughing behind his back – they might stuff a sock down there to make themselves feel better, but that doesn’t always work. On the beach, at the swimming pool, or when it comes to getting down and dirty, guys with the insecurity will do anything to hide their ‘small’ penis.
Realistically, only 10% of men with genital dysmorphophobia are justified in their worry, and hopefully the facts above have helped ease the pressure if you feel this way. There’s only one thing left to do – grab life by the balls!
Read also: how to work out by making love!
