Is E.D. a Physical or Mental Issue?

So what is it? Which came first? Was it the chicken or the egg? Well to the tell you the truth… its can be one or the other or even both. Yes… E.D. can be strictly a physical issues, a mental issue, OR a combination of both. Yes, a combo…fries and a coke!

So, let me break it down. Erectile dysfunction can be strictly physical. Such as with a person who has

heart disease, diabetes, many cardiovascular conditions, cancer, as well as secondary side effects as a result of many medications. Medications that treat blood pressure, antifungals, anti-depressants such as SSRI’s can impact your erections.

Now, E.D. can also be strictly a mental issue. Let me give you a sweet and simple example.

It’s a young man’s first time having intercourse or a sexual encounter. This young man is incredibly nervous (which makes sense as it is his first time!) And his nervousness gets the most of him and within seconds of penetration or right before penetration – he climaxes. Now, he has decided in his mind that he can’t last or that he is always going to be quick to ejaculate. Well guess what happens the second time he has the opportunity to have intercourse…. You guessed it: he climaxes within the first few seconds and his self-fulfilling prophecy is now his reality. For years to come he ejaculates within the first minute of penetration.

Now this scenario of the young man and his first time can be very similar to a man in his late twenties where he has never had an issue before but one time he was overly tired and he ejaculated very quickly and internalized it with shame and embarrassment – he built a whole narrative in his mind which created anxiety and now, this inability to maintain an erection keeps happening over and over again.

Then there is the whole issue of porn-induced ED which is a conversation for another day. But there are just a few examples of E.D. as a mental issue.

Ok back to the combo. Let’s say as a result of an accident, a gentleman needed to have surgery. Let’s say the surgery was very close to his “man hood” or that the surgery was penile related and because it was very close to his penis he is concerned of pain going forward. This fear is so strong that he literally cannot get an erection for fear of pain. Though there is a natural healing process around this area, and sex was not advisable for a period of time, there is no reason a healthy erection cannot occur post-recovery. However, because of the fear he now suffers from E.D.

In this case, E.D.is not just physical but emotional and a combo therein.

If you suffer from E.D. as a result of mental causes, physical causes, or a combination of the two – call our offices today to schedule a free 15-minute consult. We’ll work together to get you confident and back at it again in no time.

As always,

Gabriela