Men and getting or keeping an erection
Many men find it difficult to discuss the issues they have in the bedroom, particularly those that have to do with getting or keeping an erection.
Most men avoid talking about this issue or even seek medical help due to shyness, ignorance, or fear of being stigmatized. This fear and widespread denial among men is also an outcome of traditional toxic masculine values, which carelessly require, among other things, that a man must display enough sexual virility to be considered a “real man.’
Despite the fact that men rarely talk about this issue, it has a considerable impact on the quality of life, self-esteem, and social stability of both men and their spouses. It often results in marital dissatisfaction and even leads to marital violence (Balon, 2008). This is because sexual function is considered to be a top concern for men and their partners throughout their lifetimes (Dann, 2004).
One thing men should know is that mere difficulties in getting or keeping an erection do not always translate to ED. The majority of men will experience erection issues at some point in their sexual lives.
In this post we want to examine how psychological issues affects ones sexual function.
Your state of mind can affect your getting or keeping an erection
Have you noticed that whenever you’re feeling downcast or emotionally troubled, it’s very difficult to get and maintain a full erection?
You may be surprised to learn that psychological issues play a big role in erectile dysfunction for many men.
The Cambridge Well-Being Institute estimates that about 10% to 20% of all erectile dysfunction(ED) instances are caused by psychological factors.
For some men, certain childhood experiences such as sexual abuse or trauma can contribute to the psychological upshots of their ED.
Approximately 40% of erectile dysfunction (ED) instances are believed to be psychological. While men of any age can develop erectile dysfunction, many psychological erectile dysfunction instances occur in young men.
What is psychological erectile dysfunction?
Psychological erectile dysfunction is primarily the persistent failure to achieve or retain an erection during sexual performance due to underlying emotional or psychological factors.
Generally ED is a widespread sexual performance problem impacts the sexual health of many men throughout the world irrespective of age, race, or socioeconomic status. A lot of men struggle with erectile dysfunction.
According to some studies, the majority of impotence cases have psychological as the underlying cause (Mulligan, 1990; Wei, 1994). It might happen in a specific circumstance for a variety of reasons or as a result of a specific incident. These situations usually affect how our emotions work in other situations. For instance, if your loved one passes away or if you lose your job, your libido may temporarily shut down automatically.
ED makes it difficult for men to get or maintain an erection strong enough for sex. To read more about ED, please go to this post where we discussed it in detail.
Despite the general misconception that this health problem is primarily an issue for older men, ED affects men of all ages.
According to one study, men under the age of 40 account for approximately 26% of new erectile dysfunction cases.
Health conditions such as heart disease, atherosclerosis (clogged arteries), diabetes, multiple sclerosis, or hypertension are frequently implicated in ED in older men .
Now, if certain health conditions are known risk factors for erectile dysfunction , how can we account for the growing number of healthy, young males who suffer from it who do not have any form of cardiovascular disease or other major health problems?
In order to answer this question, we need to dig further to find out if their problems are psychologically related and, if so, what are these factors?
What Are The Psychological Basis?
The causes of psychological erectile dysfunction vary. The most frequent factors include anxiety, interpersonal issues, demanding situations, and a history of unpleasant sexual encounters.
In nearly all cases, however, there is some underlying psychological distress, regardless of the cause—psychological or organic. The good news is that treatment is available and usually successful. The earlier men seek assistance, the easier it is to treat the condition.
Unfortunately, many men who struggle with erectile dysfunction suffer in silence and don’t seek the appropriate medical care or advice. Most men still think it’s weird and embarrassing to talk about their sex lives with others, not even their physician. One thing they fail to realize is that having good sexual relationships can improve their quality of life and is essential to leading a healthy lifestyle in general. The difficulty of men in freely talking about their struggles is a byproduct of socialization. Men and women undergo different forms of socialization in which they learn about culturally defined gender roles.
Men are socialized to adopt gender-specific behaviours that conform to prescribed masculine roles in society. The expression “boys don’t cry” is a predominant cliché in the male socialization process, implying that boys, by extension, men, should not “whine or complain.”
This harmful belief, which is often implicitly and overtly promoted by parents and other caregivers, has a substantial impact on boys’ and men’s gender identities, roles, and relationships, as well as their health care habits. As a result, men grow up learning to disassociate from or bottle up components of emotional experience, particularly obvious feelings of grief or pain.
Again, men are reluctant to disclose any symptoms of erectile dysfunction to other men or seek appropriate medical care or advice for fear of being shamed or ridiculed.
Psychological Erectile Dysfunction: How To Identify It.
There are a few indicators you should watch out for that could indicate your erectile dysfunction is psychological. Identifying the underlying psychological causes of sexual dysfunction and erectile dysfunction is critical to treatment. The first thing you should do is speak with your doctor because the majority of erectile dysfunction situations are brought on by physiological problems.
Diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, hormone abnormalities, and alcoholism are among the medical reasons for erectile dysfunction.
Your physician might request laboratory tests to rule out any potential medical problems.
But before then, you can self-examine yourself by answering the following questions.
- Do you experience unusual stress or anxiety?
- Do you ever have an erection in the morning?
- Does masturbation allow you to have an erection?
- Do you worry when you want to please your partner?
Conclusion
Every man will deal with erectile dysfunction at some point. You should only be concerned and think about getting medical advice and treatment if the issue persists—that is, if it occurs more than 50% of the time—or if it causes distress for you or your partner. Then you need to consult with your physician. Again, even if your erectile dysfunction is mostly psychological in nature, taking actions to improve your physical ability to obtain and maintain erections will benefit you.
Eating a good diet, getting regular exercise, and quitting smoking can also help relieve stress, reduce anxiety, and improve your mental health, all of which may be contributing to your erectile dysfunction.
Written by Dr. Edward Omeire | Reviewed by Dr. C.A Omeire, Epidemiologist
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