Erectile Problems
Known to almost everybody as "impotence,"
erectile problems can be very troublesome and embarrassing experiences.
A recent survey shows that about 10 percent of men experienced a
case of impotence and least once in a 12-month span. It is comforting
to know, however, that if you have difficulty obtaining and/or keeping
an erection, you probably do not have a permanent or incurable problem.
As with any sexual problem, it is extremely important to be educated
about the problem and know what you can do to improve your sexual
health. In the case of erectile problems, there are many different
causes, not to mention a lot of remedies. The information given
below is meant to highlight the main points related to impotence.
If you feel like your problem is more serious, we urge you to seek
help from a professional clinical psychologist or physician.
There are many factors that can interfere with a man's ability to obtain or keep an erection. The most common factor is age.
Men between
the ages of 55 and 59 are over 14 percent more likely to have erection
problems than men 18-24 years old. This does not mean that every
man over 55 experiences erectile disorders; it merely shows how
this problem is more common in older men. This can be attributed
to any of several factors that are listed below, but it is important
to know that some older men maintain erectile function well into
their 80's. The problem is, with increasing age comes increased
health and psychological problems, which are the most common causes
of impotence.
The penis becomes erect when blood flows into the cavernous and spongy bodies that run the length of the penis. Therefore one of
the most common causes of erectile problems is poor blood circulation
in the body in general and the penis in particular. Any of several
circulatory problems can limit the speed with which blood can flow
into the penis, and increased circulatory problems create increased
erectile problems. This means that people with low blood pressure,
blood clots, or heart problems are more likely than others to experience
erectile problems. People who are on cardiac medications that restrict
blood flow are also at risk. The people who use alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, and other drugs that restrict the flow of blood into the penis are also at risk of erectile problems. Although some drugs,
like alcohol and cocaine, can cause erectile problems immediately,
others can take a while to create their deteriorations, as in the
case of nicotine.
Stress is a major cause of erectile problems that is often overlooked.
If a man is under considerable pressure from work or anything else,
he may have difficulties obtaining erections. This can be true for
a couple of different reasons. For one, in sexual situations his
mind will more likely be on pressing issues rather than the joy
of sex - and all the great ways to make it optimally exciting. This
alone can cause a man to not obtain enough sexual stimulation to
produce a firm erection. High levels of stress can also affect the
man in physiological ways, decreasing blood flow to the penis.
There can be a very harmful domino effect when impotence is caused
by stress. If a man is already stressed and then he cannot get an
erection with his partner or by himself, he is very likely going
to become even more stressed and upset. This blows the problem up
more than it needs to be, creating a new stress factor called "performance
anxiety." It is important to not worry about having occasional
erectile difficulties, since most men have occasional problems.
Especially in the case of stress, do not make the situation worse
by falling prey to performance anxiety, in which worries about not
obtaining an erection become a new source of stress. Breathe deeply,
relax, and solve one problem at a time. Ask yourself these questions:
Can you make your life less stressful? Should you abstain from sex
until the stressful period is over and resolved? This will help
you step back for a little while and allow you to reflect on what
is happening.
In addition to stress, erectile dysfunction
can also be the result of other psychological problems that developed
when you were younger. If you were raised in a strict religious
family, you might have learned to believe that sex is a sin, and
therefore feel very ashamed of participating in any kind of sexual
pleasure, including masturbation.
Maybe your parents caught you masturbating one day and punished
you for it, saying it was "dirty" and telling you myths
like "if you masturbate you will use up all your seed (sperm)
and have no more left!" Perhaps you've had some bad sexual
experiences with a partner where you have felt embarrassed or ashamed
of what you were doing. These or any other negative experiences
you may have had in the past could have been linked to sex and therefore
affected you today, causing your erectile problems. The way to combat
these negative associations with sex is to change those associations
to positive ones. Realize that masturbation is perfectly healthy
and normal, and a great way to learn more about yourself and what
you like sexually. Read about the myths of sex and realize that they are not true. Recondition yourself by thinking about positive
thoughts while masturbating. Learn more about the beauty of sex
and how wonderful it can be in the context of a loving and honest
relationship. Practice sensate focus with your partner. In time
you will be able to erase all the negative thoughts that could be
the cause of your problem, and therefore be able to enjoy an active
and pleasurable sex life.
There are a couple of different things one
can do to cure an erectile disorder. One of the easiest and most
useful techniques is to explore sensate
focus. Our web page on these pleasurable exercises help a man
learn what parts of his penis and fantasy life are most exciting
to him, so he can be sure he gets optimally exciting stimulation
from his partner and his own actions. During sensate focus, he tries
all sorts of different kinds of sexual inputs with the goal of noting
which ones feel good to him. Then he makes sure he gets the best
of the best. On the more medical side, drugs like Viagra have become
a very popular remedy for erectile problems. Finally, if the problem
does not yield to sensate focus or Viagra, interview several doctors
and clinical psychologists who know of advanced therapies that can
alleviate your condition. Just remember, you are no less of a man
if you "aren't able to get it up." Erectile problems are
very common and they can be treated successfully in most instances.