Erectile dysfunction – or E.D. – is defined as trouble getting or keeping an erection that’s firm enough for sex. Though it’s not rare for a man to have some problems with erections from time to time, ED that is progressive or happens routinely with sex is something that should be treated.

Erectile dysfunction is the most common sexual concern for men, affecting up to 1 in 2 men during their lifetime. It affects men of all ages for many different reasons. It can be extremely distressing and affects the self-esteem of men suffering from it, often impacting their relationships and other areas of their life.

It is therefore important to acknowledge and discuss ED, and seek professional help such as erectile dysfunction counselling where necessary, particularly when it causes depression or anxiety.

Although erectile dysfunction is often associated with physical causes (in most cases due to a reduced blood flow to the penis), the psychological contributions to the problem are often overlooked. It is therefore important to understand the cause and differentiate as to whether it has a physiological cause (circulatory problems, medication, surgery, etc.) or because of lifestyle choices, such as excessive alcohol or recreational drug use.

Here are some simple questions that help to indicate if the cause of the E.D. is psychological; “do you get morning erections?” and “are you able to maintain an erection to orgasm when alone?”.

If your answer to these is yes, then it is worth exploring the causes with psychosexual therapy for erectile dysfunction. It is important to consider that even in clearly physical cases, secondary psychogenic issues often develop. For example, a man may have low testosterone which is affecting his erections but the emotional toll of being unable to maintain an erection during intercourse may impact the erection even when he receives testosterone therapy.

Psychosexual counselling for erectile dysfunction can help you understand the cause of the E.D. and use a practical approach to overcoming the problem through exercises, therapy tools and looking at thoughts processes, feelings, and precipitating factors. Whilst talking about E.D. may feel awkward, our erectile dysfunction therapists will go out of their way to make you feel relaxed, comfortable, and focused on making progress.

How you feel generally can significantly impact both sexual desire and arousal. Your therapist will explore this with you in your therapy sessions and seek to address the root cause, while also using body-mindfulness-based techniques to help you engage the arousal circuit.

By working through your specific issues, and by your understanding of the arousal circuit, the therapist can help put in place practical strategies for you to manage the negative cycles. This can result in a real change in how you cope when you experience feelings of pressure, depression and anxiety that are causing the E.D. and enable you to manage your ED independently of the therapist going forward.