After losing a spouse, some men experience a long period of time without sexual activity, usually starting at the time of caring for the dying spouse. Essentially "if you don't use it, you lose it". Patients tend to not have morning erections--erections needed to provide oxygen to the penis to keep the tissue healthy when not having sexual activity. This lack of oxygen likely results in erectile tissue scarring and erectile dysfunction. This is diagnosed and treated similarly to other forms of erectile dysfunction.