Erectile dysfunction - what to do when "he" can't anymore?

Erectile dysfunction is by no means a problem that only older people would face. On the contrary! Many young men now also realise that an always-functioning sex life can by no means be regarded as standard.

If you want to counteract an existing problem, the first step should of course be to find out what the causes of the dysfunction are.

Because: contrary to many assumptions, a physical problem does not always have to be the reason when "he" can no longer do it. Also psychological causes come in question.

One thing is certain: If you notice that erectile dysfunction is becoming more frequent, you should not take this fact lightly and/or wait until it has a negative impact on your sex life.

The doctor is the right contact person

Many men make a classic mistake in connection with erectile dysfunction: they keep quiet. Sometimes they are also ashamed of not being able to satisfy their partner and hope that their problem will disappear into thin air. The bad news is that this is comparatively rarely the case.

The first point of contact here is the attending family doctor. He or she can help to shed more light on the problem and, if necessary, refer the patient to a colleague from another speciality.

Psychological causes also come into consideration!

The psyche exerts an enormous influence on the body. Therefore, it is self-explanatory why erectile dysfunction can often be explained by stress at work, in the family or in the partnership.

If you then make the mistake of putting yourself under pressure, you run the risk of making the problem in question even worse.

Among other things, it can help here:

• to be attentive in order to be able to locate the stressful situations
• to meditate
• Reduce stress with the help of sport
• Talking to your partner (also about your own fears).

It is also true with regard to psychological causes that they can often be eliminated more easily if they are tackled early. Once fears and the like have become entrenched, it becomes increasingly difficult to break the vicious circle.

Medical/ physical causes of erectile dysfunction

In some cases and largely independent of age, physical causes can also play a role with regard to erectile dysfunction. If there is a suspicion of this, those affected are often examined further by urologists so that appropriate therapy can be initiated if necessary.

How can the partner help with erectile dysfunction?

Even though it should be clear from the outset, it is always important to mention that apportioning blame in connection with erectile dysfunction is absolutely out of place.

Instead can:

• joint discussions
• new sex ideas and the realisation of the corresponding wishes
• TV evenings without (!) sex intentions

This helps to strengthen the cohesion within the relationship. If the problem is indeed psychological, it is so often possible that it will disappear into thin air with a little patience and empathy.

By the way: Feelings of guilt are of course just as taboo as the above-mentioned blaming. Anyone who is with a man who suffers from erectile dysfunction should not look for the "fault" ( which does not exist) in himself.

Here, too, joint discussions can help to clear up misunderstandings from the outset and create the basis for a teamwork approach.

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