Summary

Erectile Dysfunction.. It's All In The Mind.. Isn't It?

  • While most guys would like to think their erection problem is psychological, in practice 80% of erectile dysfunction cases doctors see - bearing in mind the age demographic of those men most likely to visit their doctor with E.D. complaints - turn out to have some kind of physiological cause.
  • Notions of "sexual virility" and "ability to perform" have long been the subject of cheap jokes and sitcom type subplot material. In fact since well before William Shakespeare's time!

    Little wonder erectile dysfunction is an embarrassing condition for most men to discuss - even with their partner.

    While social awareness and understanding of erection problems has gradually increased, the popular conception of E.D. continues to perpetuate the "all in the mind" myth.

  • Up until relatively recently, if you had gone to a doctor with what would these days be characterised as an erectile dysfunction problem, you could probably have expected him to tell you it was "all in your mind" and not to worry about it, or that it was "just your age" and what did you expect. (Hence the popular misconception that erectile dysfunction problems are mostly psychological).

    The truth is, until 20 or 30 years ago, erectile dysfunction was poorly understood and there was not much the medical community could do about it anyway.

  • It was only in the 1960s that scientists started to research and understand the biological mechanisms involved in getting an erection - the complicated chain of events and the processes that lead to erection - and even now do not completely understand them.

    And only gradually - (not helped by prevalent societal notions and taboos) did doctors' mindsets and training update to accomodate this emerging information on the causes of erectile dysfunction.

  • Although there had been medical advances in the treatment of erectile dysfunction before Viagra came to the attention of the world, it was only with the advent of Viagra and other erectile dysfunction drugs that doctors had access to a readily available 'cure'.

    Incidentally, the knowledge that doctors could now do something about your ED (and were more likely to treat the problem sympathetically) meant more men presenting the condition to their doctor and doctors being able to amass statistical clinical evidence of the percentage of men where a physiological cause was at the root of the erection problem - hence the importance of going to see your doctor.

.. So Is My E.D. Psychological or Physical?

  • One way of determining if your E.D. is psychological or physiological is whether you have nighttime erections or 'morning wood'.

    Men can have as many as 5 erections each night, although it's important to bear in mind that not all men do.

  • If nighttime erections have always been the norm for you and you are still getting them, you can be relatively certain that your problem is psychological.

    However, if you are at all concerned, you should always consult your doctor.

E.D. Areas Of Concern

  • For the purposes of our discussion into the causes of erectile disfunction we will divide the subject up into the 4 areas of most concern to most men:
  • Psychological E.D.
    • The younger you are (but not invariably) the more likely erectile dysfunction problems are to be psychological in origin.
    • Stress, tiredness, performance anxiety or general lack of interest in sex can all occasionally contribute to erectile dysfunction and a temporary inability to get and / or maintain erection.
    • Psychological E.D. can also have deeper rooted causes which may need the help of a trained sex therapist to remedy the problem

    [ .. More Information ]

  • Physiological E.D.
    • The chain of biochemical events involved in getting an erection
      - from being triggered by sexual arousal and ending in eventual orgasm - is complex and there are many physiological areas where ED problems are prone to occur.
    • Clinical practice has established that (unfortunately, especially after you have hit the age of 40) very often the cause of erectile dysfunction has a physiological root.
    • There are a number of physiological mechanisms that can become impaired and cause inability to get or maintain a satisfactory erection as we will see.
    • Lifestyle (Diet, Smoking, Alchohol, Legal and / or illegal drug consumption - amongst others) can all play a part in E.D.

    [ .. More Information ]

  • Age Related E.D.
    • You won't be surprised to hear that as you get older it becomes more likely that your erectile dysfunction problem has a physiological rather than psychological basis.
    • In normally healthy older men, erection problems can just be down to age related declines in the various hormones involved in the getting an erection.
    • Various tests that your doctor can carry out will establish whether the cause is a decline in the attributable male sex hormones (and a corresponding ED treatment) or whether some other physiological cause is responsible for your ED (in which case your doctor will suggest an appropriate ED remedy or refer you to a specialist).

    [ .. More Information ]

  • Chronic E.D.
    • At the extreme, erectile problems can be bought about by - and may be symptomatic of - a range of underlying medical conditions, some of which are life threatening if not detected and treated.
    • Chronic erectile dysfunction is characterised by a long term inability to get any kind of erection - hard or soft - and can be indicative of heart problems, diabetes or prostate cancer amonst others.
    • Evidence of chronic erectile dysfunction has been shown to be a major predictor of a cardiac event up to 2 years hence.
    • If you are even thinking about taking E.D. medication under these circumstances you must see your doctor.

    [ .. More Information ]

What should I Do About My E.D. Now?

  • Most causes of erectile dysfunction are amenable to medical intervention, even where an underlying condition, (which we stress, should first be identified by your doctor and made subject to appropriate treatment) exists.
  • You should consider taking time with your doctor, to look at where the problem could lie (and any underlying issues that should be addressed) and explore solutions.

    When you visit the clinic, where appropriate, your doctor will either prescribe an erectile dysfunction drug - which, as of this writing - will be either Viagra, Cialis or Levitra - suggest an alternative E.D. Treatment or under certain circumstances refer you to a specialist urologist.

  • Depending on the nature of your erection problem, you may also want to look at non prescription, non medical E.D. alternatives to erectile dysfunction drugs.

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