As you get older your risk of Erectile Dysfunction (ED) increases, but having trouble holding an erection isn’t something that is just related to age. Many men will, at some point in their lives experience ED, but, the good news is if the cause of your ED can be identified ED issues often go away with treatment. Just give us a call for a consultation.
ED can be caused by both physical and psychological issues, with studies showing that psychological factors are one of the most common causes of ED. Psychological causes such as emotional factors, including anxiety and stress.
Increases in both anxiety and stress can also increase your risk for other conditions that can also cause ED issues – including:
• Obesity
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• High cholesterol levels.
How Can Anxiety and Stress Cause ED?
There are 3 types of erections:
- nocturnal – during sleep
- psychogenic – due to mental or visual associations
- reflexive – physical stimulation.
These erections involve the body’s systems and disruption in these systems can cause ED. These systems include:
• Hormones
• Emotions
• Blood vessels
• Muscles
Anxiety and stress can affect how the brain signals the body’s physical response, and, when it comes to erection anxiety and stress can interrupt how the brain sends signals to the penis allowing for the needed extra blood flow. Stress and anxiety can then lead to a cycle of ongoing ED issues. If you are having issues and want to know how to last longer in bed just give us a call for a consultation.
Experiencing ED can lead to behavioral changes that only contribute to your anxiety making the Erectile Dysfunction issue worse. Reasons for ED vary in different age groups. Here are some examples:
• Teenagers and young men may experience psychological ED mainly through nervousness and anxiety, but these incidents are short-lived.
• In middle-aged men, professional and personal issues – such as relationship issues is one of the main reasons those in this age group suffer ED.
• In older men, physical impotence due to aging, loneliness, and losing a partner can also cause psychological stress.
Life events can also cause stress and anxiety issues that lead to ED
• Illness of, or loss of a loved one
• Relationship conflicts or problems
• Job loss, or stress at work
• Financial strain
• Fear of getting older
• General changes in health
Easing Stress and Anxiety Can Help Treat ED
Therapy is one way that can help you break away from the stress and anxiety in your life causing your ED. It is one of the main treatments available for ED. Counseling can also help you identify and address any stress factors, so you can identify them and work towards managing them better. Sex therapy will focus more on sensational pleasure more so than sexual activity and arousal. This helps by reducing the stress so you can build a more reliable and secure sex life.
