Sexual Problems Associated With Anxiety

One of the little talked about problems that anxiety causes is the subsequent sexual problems. People who have anxiety have a limited if not zero sex life. This causes not only further stress and anxiety to the anxious person, but can also cause damage in a relationship, to the point where it can cause a relationship to totally fail, as sex is so important in a normal loving relationship.

For men erectile dysfunction is a common symptom of anxiety. It affects around 18 million men alone above the age of 20 in the United States alone. This figure could be closer to 30 million people due to low reporting levels. Although it is true that the strength and libido diminishes with age, not all erectile dysfunction can be attributed to age. Many of the causes of erectile dysfunction can be attributed to anxiety. So erectile dysfunction in men can be both a physical and psychological issue, with psychological reasons being the most common. Psychological reasons, like emotional and environmental factors can usually be resolved through appropriate treatment. So how exactly does anxiety stop a man from having a long-lasting hard erection? To answer this question, we need to look at the three types of erection that a man can get. The first is known as reflexive, which is a result of physical stimulation. The second is known as psychogenic, which can occur by looking at images that can cause sexual arousal. And lastly the last type of erection is nocturnal which occurs at night. All of these types of erection involve important bodily systems and processes. A disruption in any of these processes causes erectile dysfunction. Mental health problems such as anxiety can affect how your brain signals your body’s physical response, affecting how your brain sends messages to the penis to send extra blood flow.

Stress and anxiety surrounding getting and maintaining an erection can contribute to the cycle of ongoing erectile dysfunction. Many men who experience erectile dysfunction can feel embarrassed in front of a loved one, resulting in further anxiety and stress about making love on further occasions, thus perpetuating the issue. Psychological erectile dysfunction affects 90 percent of teenagers and young men. In middle aged men aged forty and above the main cause of erectile dysfunction is personal and professional stress. Physical impotence is the most common cause of impotence for older men, loneliness and the loss of a loved one can also cause psychological stress.

It may surprise you but pornography use can be attributed to erectile dysfunction. Research conducted in Italy has found that increased use of internet pornography amongst teenage boys can sexual anorexia. This basically means that the desire for romantic sexual interactions diminishes and over masturbation inhibits a man’s ability to be able to get and maintain an erection.

Another study found that people who suffer from PTSD and complex PTSD were up to three times more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction. Long term stress and anxiety can elevate certain hormones in your body and interfere with your body’s processes. This can lead to other heath conditions as well as erectile dysfunction. There are various herbs that a man can take to help. For example, black maca, a herb that not only helps with erectile dysfunction but also reduces stress. Other herbs that reduce stress are kava and chamomile.

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