Erectile dysfunction does not just affect the man who has it but also their partner. Since it is such an emotionally traumatic thing, it can even affect the whole family and friends if the mental effects are not dealt with.
Adding to the potential damage is the fact that many men are too embarrassed to talk to anybody about it. Avoiding the subject delays any treatment possibilities and the problem persists.
Unfortunately, without treatment, it can seriously harm a relationship. In some cases, even when a treatment like a pump from The Enhanced Male is suggested which can solve the physical problem, some therapy is needed to get to the bottom of the mental issues surrounding it.
In this article, I will go over some ways that it can affect a relationship and some ideas on how to get through it.
How ED emotionally impacts a man
Having ED is quite difficult for a man. It feels like his masculinity is at stake. His ability to perform and please his partner is tied in very tightly with his self-esteem and is traumatic.
Anxiety and depression soon follow the feelings of low self-esteem when the issue is not treated with therapy.
Then a vicious cycle is formed. The depression, anxiety, and stress from impotence can make it even less likely for a rebound to occur and the problem to go away. It is self-perpetuating and then sex and the topic of sex is usually avoided at all costs.
To avoid future feelings of inadequacy, a man will shut down emotionally and intimacy is put on hold.
What causes ED
In many cases, the problem is physical and the treatment can be a pharmaceutical like Viagra or some other avenue. In other words, when the problem is physical and not psychological, it is an easy fix.
Other factors have an effect besides just the body not cooperating.
Psychological triggers can also cause erectile dysfunction. Childhood trauma such as abuse can rear its head late in life and the emotional scars can manifest themselves in this way.
Stress also plays a big part since it is linked to your blood pressure and overall health. Since your erection depends on blood flow, your stress could be interfering with your erection.
And as I already stated, when you’re already stressed and then become impotent in addition, the cycle begins that makes it worse.
How it affects your relationship
Women, generally speaking, tend to internalize things. It is not unusual for a woman to place the blame for a sudden occurrence of ED on herself. She may feel that he is no longer attracted to her or that she no longer satisfies him sexually.
Even when this is not the case, the depression and anxiety a man is feeling affect her in a big way. There is sort of a black cloud hanging over both of them and it can cause fissures in other areas of the relationship.
If communication about the ED stops, then it usually causes a rift in which the couple starts drifting apart.
Once one of the partners withdraws, then the other follows. Getting back is difficult without therapy. With some work, you can get your relationship back on track.
What can therapy do
An ED specialist, like the ones from Male Excel, can help the man with erectile dysfunction pinpoint the cause of the ED and then set up a therapy routine to treat it.
In the case of a couple whose relationship has been damaged because of it, a sex therapist can help bring them back to the same page.
Even if the cause of the ED was physical and is being treated with Viagra, a sex therapist may be needed to help heal the wounds. It isn’t simply a case that when the ED is over and sex can resume normally, that things go back where they were as if nothing happened.
Intimacy will be difficult after a strain in the relationship. How much therapy is needed and how long it will take to resume a normal sex life depends on the individuals and how much damage was done. If it took years for therapy to come into the picture, then expect a long road to resuming intimacy.
Conclusion
Erectile dysfunction is not a death sentence for your sex life. With the right attitude and a commitment to communication, things will improve. Therapists are trained to help you in these situations.
Life is way too short to let something like ED take over your life and affect your happiness as an individual and as a couple.
Mandy X
Photo by Michael Prewett on Unsplash
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
