Erectile dysfunction in young people: why it occurs and how to deal with it

Sexual activity is an important factor in male self-esteem as it is part of what is expected of them as a social image: to always desire, to maintain a long erection with powerful hardness, etc. In this context, the experience of “failure”, “failure” or ” difficulties” with erection will affect their self-esteem and their behavior in future sexual contacts.

According to the DMS-5 Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, erectile dysfunction is “marked difficulty achieving an erection during intercourse, maintaining an erection to completion, or a marked decrease in erectile hardness.” It can appear in certain situations or be generalized, and more often occurs as a man turns several years old.

So, from 13 to 21% of men over 40 years old and from 40 to 70% of men over 60-70 years old report frequent problems with erection. In Spain, for example, it is estimated that 1.5 to 2 million people will be affected. This means that 40% of men over 40 and 67% of men over 70 suffer from some form of erectile dysfunction.

Panic for the first time

In young and middle-aged men, most often the causes are psychological in nature. For example, it often happens during the first sexual relationship due to a lot of stress and expectations from the situation (performance, inappropriate places, etc.). In this trance, there are no conditions for good excitement, and you cannot devote enough time to the relationship.

Physiological factors include diabetes mellitus, heart problems, or low hormone levels. He is also favored by habits such as sedentary lifestyle (exercise is best for sexual activity), alcohol (a powerful depressant, despite what many young people think otherwise), tobacco (almost doubles the chance of erectile dysfunction), and the effects of certain drugs, such as antidepressants, anxiolytics, or benzodiazepines.

And contrary to what many young people think, illegal substances (long-term use of marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy, etc.) contribute to both erectile dysfunction and other sexual problems.

Wide catalog of triggers

Let’s now delve into the psychological causes, which can be summarized in six points:

1. Inadequate or incomplete sex education, as well as a rigid or restrictive vision of sexuality.

2. Traumatic sexual experience.

3. Immediate factors such as excessive performance stress or anxiety, fear of failure, and desire for satisfactory sexual results.

4. Excessive altruism and constant self-observation during the action (what is called the “spectator role”).

5. Problems of everyday life: work, economic or family stress and conflicts in a couple.

6. Avoidance of sexual relations after the first failures (the so-called “fear of execution”).

We can add the circumstance that the couple presses overly to maintain sexual relations, which would encourage a man to retract under more stress. This gives rise to new failures and greater dissatisfaction in the couple: reproaches, criticism, doubts about the relationship or attractiveness of the partner, suspicions of infidelity, etc.

As a result, sexual interaction decreases and relationships generally worsen. You then fall into a vicious cycle of avoidance, which increases the risk of the couple breaking up or, this time, infidelity.

Solve this matter of two

Regardless of the cause, it is recommended to treat with a partner. It is a way to prevent future relapses, work on interaction and communication, and address the sexual challenges that are offered during therapy.

As for pharmacological treatment, Viagra, Cialis and Levitra (brand names) have shown some safety. They should be prescribed by a doctor, taking into account the person’s health problems (heart, degenerative, eye diseases) and the side effects of these products.

Its effectiveness is between 60 and 85%, but its uncontrolled and constant use can cause disorders such as liver failure, high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, headaches, and gastrointestinal problems.

For its part, psychological treatment has been shown to be effective in 74% of cases when organic factors are not involved. Some men refuse this type of therapy because they do not see the effect. Fast in your erection, compared to drugs, since success is achieved only after a few sessions.

Purpose: relieve pressure

Psychological therapies aim to reduce performance and productivity pressures, as well as alleviate pre-emptive anxiety and anxiety about penile detumescence. It’s about giving the man a sense of control over this effect.

For this, strategies such as the prohibition of sexual intercourse and the enhancement of pleasant sensations and communication through sensory orientation are used: mutual caresses, excluding the genitals at first, to which one’s own or partner’s masturbation and fantasies are later added.

It is also suggested that a person intentionally gains and loses an erection (via the pincer maneuver and/or stop-start technique) to increase response and safety when experiencing it. After successfully performing these techniques, he is free to practice intercourse and penetration, including foreplay.

The main thing is to have fun and experience the sensations without getting hung up on the penis or penetration. You should be obsessed not with achieving orgasm, but with the pleasure itself. Thus, we will remove the alarm in order to get the result.

In any case, it is always necessary to eliminate the (multiple) causes that caused or maintain the problem. It is extremely important to receive adequate information about sexual and partner relationships and to encourage dialogue, openness and sincerity between them. When this anxiety subsides, arousal, erection and orgasm will come naturally.

Antonio Ruiz Garcia, Professor, Department of Psychology, Areas of Personality, Assessment and Psychological Treatment, University of Cordoba and Luis Valero Aguayo, professor of the department. Personality, assessment and psychological treatment, University of Malaga

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original.