An Itchy Penis of a Different Kind - What Behaviors Count as Cheating?
June 4, 2014Every man gets an occasional itchy penis due to rashes, sweat, skin irritants and other physical issues; and normally, a little TLC clears the itch right up. But what about that "other" kind of itchy penis: the one that aches to indulge in a little outside-the-relationship exploration? And how does one precisely define cheating anyway? This kind of situation goes a bit beyond typical penis care and gets at the heart of a couple's relationship; it's a topic men need to think carefully about.
1) Is it biological?
Some people theorize that a man's desire to expand his sexual relationships beyond traditional monogamy is biological. According to this argument, a man is made to have more than one sexual partner because it is in the best interests of the species to propagate and create as many descendants as possible. In order to make this possible, this theory posits that men have a higher sex drive and may possibly form less stringent attachments in their personal relationships. By resisting these inclinations, a man may be suppressing his natural state, and suppression tends to be unhealthy and have negative consequences.
On the other hand, many people do not buy the biological explanation; some believe that there is actually little variation in the natural sex drives of the genders and that women's supposed lower sex drive is due to cultural training rather than nature. It's also argued that all people suppress a wide range of natural inclinations with little harm - for example, a person may feel so angry that he wants to kill another person, but in most instances, controls the desire - and so controlling the sex drive does not have to bring about dire consequences.
2) What is cheating?
Defining cheating can be difficult. In general, most people agree that being in a long-term relationship and then having sex with someone other than one's partner is cheating. But that doesn't always hold true: some couples have open relationships in which sexual encounters outside the initial pairing is accepted. Some couples engage in activities in which the couple invites another person or people to join them in a group encounter. For these couples, this does not count as cheating.
Some people may differ in their definitions of "having sex with someone other than one's partner." Intercourse is usually considered "having sex," but what about oral sex? Or being masturbated by another person? If a man visits an establishment and enjoys a lap dance, is that cheating? Is going to a strip club being unfaithful?
What about simple masturbation? If a man fondles himself while watching pornography, is he cheating? What about if he masturbates without visual aid: does that count as "having sex with someone other than one's partner?"
3) Communication is key
What it comes down to essentially is this: it's in the best interests of the parties in a relationship to have a mutual understanding of what constitutes cheating. In most instances, people tend to piece this together for themselves, based on attitudes they observe or in comments they hear from their partners. But if there is any gray area, it's a good idea to bite the bullet and bring the subject up, in order to make sure both are on the same page in this area and know what is expected. Knowing what each partner expects from the other in terms of fidelity, and how each partner defines fidelity, is an important step in keeping a relationship strong.
Another important step for a man, with an itchy penis or otherwise: keeping his penis in overall good health, both for himself and his partner. Regular use of a high quality penis vitamin cream (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil) is strongly advised for this purpose. The caring partner will select a cream that includes both alpha lipoic acid (a powerful antioxidant) and acetyl L carnitine, a supplement which combines synergistically with alpha lipoic acid to provide maximum protection from damage to cell mitochondria. Another valuable ingredient to look for: vitamin A, the anti-bacterial properties of which fight penis odor - a common unspoken complaint from intimate partners.
Posted by John Dugan. Posted In : Men's Health
