Erectile Dysfunction Psychological Causes

What are the psychological causes of erectile dysfunction?

The brain plays an integral part in the physical process of producing an erection. Accordingly, it can be equally responsible for preventing one.
If the portion of the brain responsible for sending impulses to the penis receives more negative than positive messages, it will respond by releasing chemicals that constrict the blood vessels in the penis and inhibit the natural process that causes an erection.
Therefore, feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, stress, guilt, depression or sexual confusion can result in erectile dysfunction, also known as psychogenic impotence. Common psychological causes of erectile dysfunction include:

Relationship difficulties

Sometimes the triggering factor can be easily identified such as a serious disagreement with the partner or being interrupted while making love. The answer to relationship issues often lies in good communication. Problems with erectile dysfunction can put severe pressure on the best relationships, so it's important that both you and your partner share your feelings.
More about relationships and erectile dysfunction

Stress and tiredness

While a little stress helps drive achievement and success, a large amount of stress can be damaging to your health. Most of us live ‘stressful lives’ these days, so stress can originate from more than just work.
Almost every man experiences either a loss of libido or an inability to maintain an erection during periods of stress; however these episodes are usually transient. In most cases, once the stress has been reduced, full sexual function returns.
More about stress and erectile dysfunction

Sex / performance anxiety

Men can feel enormous pressure to ‘perform’ sexually. Often feelings of self-esteem and masculinity are intricately interwoven with their ability to ‘get it up’. So it's easy to see why erectile dysfunction can lead to ‘performance anxiety’ and the subsequent loss of self-esteem. Worse still, many men react to an occasional episode of erectile dysfunction by becoming more anxious, which results in further sexual problems, hence making it worse.
More about performance anxiety and erectile dysfunction

Depression and bereavement

Depression is cited as the most common causes of psychological erectile dysfunction. Clinical depression can cause psychological impotence because it interferes with the brain function necessary to stimulate sexual arousal and produce an erection. Heavy bereavement may suppress positive feelings and emotions, which inhibit libido and the desire for sexual activity.

Unresolved sexual orientation

Sexual orientation is an enduring emotional, romantic or sexual attraction to a person or group of people. If a man is not attracted to his partner in this way, he may suffer occasional erectile dysfunction.

Back to: Information on Erectile Dysfunction --> Causes of Erectile Dysfunction