Erection Concerns: A Holistic Approach
Erection Concerns: A Holistic Approach
written By Christine Rafe
Are you or your partner struggling to gain or maintain an erection?
You’re not alone. One in five penis owners between the ages of 18-40 report difficulty in gaining and maintaining an erection. This blog post aims to provide insights and strategies for individuals experiencing erection concerns. It emphasizes the importance of addressing both physical and psychological factors, and highlights the benefits of a holistic approach to treatment.
If you have concerns about getting and/or maintaining an erection, get in touch with us at Good Vibes Clinic today to schedule a session with a Sex Therapist. You can also take our free online erection assessment to support identifying what might be happening for you. Complete the free questionnaire here.
Understanding and Addressing Erection Concerns
Erection concerns can be a source of distress for individuals and their partners.
While it's natural to assume that such issues stem from physical or hormonal causes, the reality is often more complex, especially for those under the age of 45 where physical/circulatory factors are less prevalent. In many cases, psychological and relational factors play a significant role. Understanding the root causes of erection concerns is the first step towards addressing them effectively.
Factors That May Contribute To Erection Concerns
Identifying the factors relevant to you is crucial in developing a personalized plan to overcoming erection issues.
Common reasons and factors that contribute to erection concerns:
Psychological factors: may include performance and general anxiety, depression, relational and/or emotional issues.
Medications: Medications that treat mental health symptoms (namely SSRIs) can impact desire, arousal and ejaculation. If you are taking a medication that you feel is impacting your erection capacity, speak to the prescribing practitioner or schedule a session with a Sex Therapist to explore this further and determine what factors may be contributing to your concern.
Nervous System: The nervous system plays a crucial role in the ability to gain and sustain an erection. During sexual arousal, sensory stimuli trigger signals that travel through the nervous system, stimulating blood flow to the penis. The autonomic nervous system, which operates unconsciously, regulates this process by controlling the relaxation of smooth muscles in the penis and the dilation of blood vessels, allowing for increased blood flow. However, heightened states of anxiety or stress can activate the sympathetic nervous system, which can interfere with this process, leading to difficulties in achieving or maintaining an erection. Therefore, managing stress and anxiety through relaxation techniques, mindfulness practices, and therapeutic interventions can positively influence the nervous system's response, ultimately enhancing sexual function. To find out more about the nervous system and how to regulate yourself, check out our blog on it here.
Physical: Pumping blood to your penis requires an effective circulatory system, and for those with cardiovascular conditions or other health conditions such as diabetes, losing erections may be the first indicator of something else going on! We’ll talk more about how you can determine if this is a factor for you down below. Pelvic floor conditions such as overactive or underactive pelvic floor can also impact ability to gain and maintain erections.
Hormonal: While hormonal imbalances and low testosterone levels CAN impact desire and erections in folk with penis’, it is not usually the only factor at play. Ironically, this is the first thought people have when they’re experiencing erection or desire issues but is not usually the ‘quick fix’ people are hoping for!
Context Is Key
Identifying the factors contributing to erection concerns is kind of like an investigation! Pay attention to when and where erection issues arise.. If you experience erections during certain activities but not others, it could indicate underlying psychological or emotional factors. Take note as to when/where the erection concerns started (is it something you’ve always experienced or has it recently become an issue)?
Here are three quick ways to assess whether your erection concerns are primarily physical or psychological:
Nocturnal Erections: If you are no longer experiencing erections throughout the night/during sleep or upon waking, and also not gaining or maintaining erections in sexual contexts, this could point to a physical/circulatory issue which should be investigated by speaking to your GP and obtaining an appropriate referral to a specialist.
Solo vs. Partnered Activities: If you can get and maintain erections during solo touch or masturbation, but not in any partnered contexts, this points to psychological, nervous system or relational factors.
Selective Performance: If you experience difficulty maintaining an erection during specific sensual/sexual activities but not others, this indicates a potential anxiety around sexual performance of a specific act, and/or relational or emotional barriers. This is common in relation to penetrative sex, whereby someone may be able to get and maintain an erection during kissing, touching with hands and maybe even oral sex, but when it comes to penetration they aren’t able to maintain an erection.
Addressing Erection Concerns
If you resonate with any of the above scenarios, seeking support from a Sex Therapist can be beneficial. Here are some strategies that may help:
Communication: Openly communicate with your partner about your concerns and where possible and relevant, agree to remove specific activities linked to erection loss for a period of time and practice getting comfortable, relaxed and aroused in the activities that are not causing stress/concern. This can alleviate performance pressure and enhance intimacy.
Mindful Masturbation: Practice mindful masturbation to retrain the brain's focus away from achieving an erection. By focusing on sensory experiences rather than performance, you can reduce anxiety and enhance pleasure.
Diversify Sexual Activities: Engage in non-penetrative activities that do not rely on having an erection. Exploring different forms of intimacy can foster connection and alleviate performance anxiety. Remember that all sexual activities are sex, so get curious about other ways to experience pleasure with your partner that focus on pleasure rather than erection.
Holistic Approach to Treatment
Erection concerns are complex and multifaceted, often involving both physical, psychological and relational elements. By understanding the underlying factors and adopting a holistic approach to treatment, individuals can enhance their sexual well-being and improve overall quality of life.
At Good Vibes Clinic, we advocate for a holistic approach to overcoming erection concerns. Our approach integrates pleasure and arousal education, anxiety management, mindfulness training, and couples therapy. By addressing psychological, relational, and social factors alongside physical/medical interventions when necessary, we aim to provide comprehensive support for individuals and couples.
Remember, seeking support is a proactive step towards reclaiming a fulfilling and satisfying sex life. If you have concerns about getting and/or maintaining an erection, get in touch with us at Good Vibes Clinic today to schedule a session with a Sex Therapist.