This is a collaborative post with Access Doctor
It’s a well known fact that men’s mental and physical health are subjects that aren’t talked about. However they often go hand in hand. The taboo subject of erectile dysfunction teamed with the mental health impact that can come with suffering from erectile dysfunction or vice versa can just become too much of an embarrassment for men to seek help for. So today we’re going to smash down some of those barriers and hopefully make erectile dysfunction and mental health easier topics to discuss.
What is erectile dysfunction?
While sexual health has become less stigmatised over the years, erectile dysfunction is still one of those topics that men seem to find difficult to discuss. Access Doctor is looking to get the conversation started with their Understanding ED campaign. According to the NHS erectile dysfunction is the ‘inability to get and maintain an erection that is sufficient for satisfactory sexual intercourse.’ And it’s a lot more common than you’d think. In fact half of men between 40 and 70 will suffer from ED at some point. Don’t think that it’s just an older man problem though. People younger than this age bracket can have ED problems too.
What causes erectile dysfunction?
A number of things can cause erectile dysfunction and a lot of these can be a one off occurrence and nothing to really worry about such as being tired, drinking too much alcohol or having a stressful day. However if you find it’s happening more regularly that’s when it’s time to seek some medical advice.
There are also a range of physical health problems that can cause ED too such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease so if you know that any of these things run in your family and you’ve been experiencing some problems it’s best to speak to your doctor.
Emotional and psychological reasons play a big part when it comes to erectile dysfunction though and it can become one vicious circle if you don’t seek help with the ED and the mental health side. Erectile dysfunction can be caused by stress and anxiety or psychological trauma, you may find once you treat the mental health side of things then everything will start to function properly again.
However if your ED isn’t caused by a mental health issue it may become worse as you begin to get anxious about having erectile dysfunction. This is why it’s easy to get caught in a cycle of seemingly never ending ED and mental health issues as the two unfortunately go together so well.
This is not to say that erectile dysfunction is purely a psychological issue as that certainly isn’t the case but it’s easy to see why ED and mental health go together so well. Given that they’re two big issues for men it’s important that everyone recognises the importance of being able to talk about these things in a safe and honest environment.
What can I do if I have erectile dysfunction?
The first step is to talk to someone. If you feel like the issues may be within your relationship then it’s important to open up to your partner about what your thoughts and feelings are. If you know it’s nothing to do with your relationship it’s still important to open up to your partner and let them know what’s going on. Just the act of sharing with someone else how you’re feeling will help to release a little bit of the anxiety and pressure.
If the cause of your ED is psychological you may also find it beneficial to talk to a therapist to get to the root cause of your stress, anxiety or trauma. While the thought of talking to a stranger about how your mental health is impacting your sexual performance may seem daunting, it’s important to remember it’s what therapists are there for and you won’t be sharing anything they haven’t heard before.
While talking about things is an important first step it may not solve all of your problems especially if your ED is linked to a psychical health problem or is being caused by medication you are taking. This is when you need to make a doctors appointment. Again this can seem embarrassing but doctors have seen and heard it all before and chances are you won’t even be the only person that day with an ED problem.
What can I do if my partner has erectile dysfunction?
If you’re reading this to gain a better understanding of how to support a partner with ED then the good news is there are things you can do too. The most important thing is to listen to your partner. Opening up won’t be an easy thing to do, if you suspect that there’s a problem then it may be up to you to start that conversation. Be mindful of how this will be affecting them and allow then time to explain how they’re feeling. Make sure they’re reassured that you’re there to listen, support them and get help if they need it.
Your partner may be too embarrassed to have looked into ways they can seek help and may be reluctant to seek medical advice but it’s important you help them to see the benefits of talking to a doctor especially if there’s a chance that there could be an underlying health condition.
Having these conversations will be the most important thing you can do for your partner as it puts an end to the cycle of shame, loneliness and worry.
Having erectile dysfunction doesn’t have to be anything to be embarrassed about. Break the silence and end the stigma. Men often overlook and downplay their mental and psychical health which just leads to more shame and embarrassment. If more people talked about these things then everyone would realise just how common it is and that it’s really not a big deal.
You can help Access Doctor break the silence around ED and join the conversation online using #UnderstandingED
Leave a Reply