Do I have erectile dysfunction?

Do I have erectile dysfunction? Probably, the first time you ask yourself this is immediately after you have been unable to sexually perform. You will also have your partner asking you the same question, but also with the added comment "is it because of me?"

This really fuels the fire, as both of you are in a state of anxiety because your sexual activity did not meet your expectations. This is dangerous grounds as it plants the seed for long term self confidence loss.

To answer the question, you need to understand the question. What really is erectile dysfunction?

Erectile dysfunction, also known as impotence, is the inability to get an erection or unable to maintain an erection to perform sex.

So, how do you get an erection?

An erection results from increased blood flow into the penis. This occurs due to sexual stimulation causing a relaxation of muscles in the penis. The increase in blood flow through the arteries fills cavities in the penis, known as corpus cavernosum, and this puts pressure on the veins restricting blood flow out of the penis. This results in more blood flowing in than out, filling the penis and making it hard.

That is the process for an erection due to sexual stimulation, but this process can be broken or interrupted due to physiological and psychological reasons:

Physiological reasons include health, disease, use of alcohol and drugs. 

Psychological reasons include anxiety, stress, depression and mental health.

You must be aware that the physiological and psychological reasons for erectile dysfunction can occur as a combination of factors, so you may not be able to point out one exact reason for your impotence at that moment. 

Age is not a physiological reason in itself as erectile dysfunction can occur in men of any age, although more prevalent in middle aged men.

Also, these reasons vary over a spectrum of time. For example, excess alcohol or drug abuse could be a short term effect of erectile dysfunction, that is also known as "brewers droop". However, chronic stress and anxiety that happens over months or years may have a significant psychological impact on your ability to get an erection.

This takes us back to the question in the first paragraph, do I have erectile dysfunction? 

As you can see there are different reasons why you have not been able to perform. In your  circumstance you may now be able to understand why it has happened. Too much alcohol for instance is something you can change next time and you may not require medical intervention. However, longer term erectile dysfunction where you have not been able to perform on numerous occasions may indicate a greater underlying problem, such as stress, anxiety or health problems.

Seeking medical advice is recommended, either from your doctor or online doctor from a reputable company.

You can do this!

ED