Is erection failure all in your mind?

Is erection failure all in your mind?

1st April 2016 02:02 PM

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Erection problems can start right out of the blue.  One moment it is there, and the next moment it isn't.  This can be a source of frustration, anger and upset, which can lead to anxiety and depression in some men.

When a man comes to me with erection problems, including Erectile Dysfunction (ED), the first thing I ask him is if he has visited his GP.  Many haven't.  The reasons most men give for not visiting their GP are embarrassment, or because they don't believe that it is a physical problem, they believe that it is psychological.  In fact, in around 70 - 80% of cases, Erectile Dysfunction is a physical issue, and is something that should most certainly be checked out, in the first instance, by your GP.

Most GP's will carry out blood tests to eliminate organic disease first, but one thing that can cause erection problems is a condition called Pelvic Steal Syndrome.  This is essentially a blood flow problem with partial blockage in the pelvic arteries.  There are branches of this that flow to the penis, and when a demand is put on the blood flow, such as through exercise or walking, blood flow to the penis is diverted elsewhere, and the erection can be lost.

Many men try to maintain the erection by tensing the muscles of the buttocks, thighs, pelvis and abdomen, but by doing this, the blood flow is being forced into those areas, as their increased use is demanding more oxygenated blood, and hence stealing even more of the blood which is meant to be flowing to the penis and is essential in maintaining the erection.

So if you find that you can achieve and maintain an erection for a while, but when things start to get more sexually energetic, you lose your erection, be it fully or partially lost, it could be that you are experiencing Pelvic Steal Syndrome.  Little give-aways are if you can maintain the erection whilst lying down, but if you change position, or become more active, you lose it.

This can lead to stress and anxiety, which can in turn lead to a psychological reason for future loss of erection, which can in turn lead to bouts of depression in some men.

Psychosexual issues can put pressure on relationships, as some men start to avoid sex, fearful that he will be unable to perform, which can leave his parter feeling isolated and rejected.

Talking things through with a therapist is often an enormous emotional benefit, and the therapeutic process can help in many ways, by addressing the problem in a sensitive and confidential environment, offering education and self-help techniques, and healing any emotional wounds that may have been opened or created along the way.

Franca Hood is a Cognitive Hypnotherapist, Mind Coach and Counsellor, and a qualified Psychosexual Dysfunction Specialist with experience in treating sexual issues including: Lack of Libidic Drive, Anorgasmia, Vaginismus, Vaginal Dryness, Dyspareunia (Painful sex), Erectile Dysfunction (ED, Erectile Failure), Premature Ejaculation, Penetration Anxiety, Masturbation Anxiety and Lack of Sexual Confidence. 

 

Franca is an experienced Hypnotherapist, Counsellor and Mind Coach with a broad range of expertise; specialising in Anxiety, Sexual Issues and Fertility Issues.  See her website for more details.

 

Tags: erection, Hypnotherapy, Stress

Treatments: Hypnotherapy

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The views expressed in these blogs are those of the blog authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Bridge Centre for Natural Health.