Erectile dysfunction is a condition that affects people across the globe. Erectile dysfunction occurs when a person struggles to get or maintain an erection that is firm enough for penetration. People who suffer from erectile dysfunction may find that the issue has a significant impact on their self-confidence, sex life, and relationship with their significant other.
Erectile dysfunction most commonly occurs in older men due to three key reasons. Proper blood flow is essential for maintaining a firm erection. Factors like inflammation, micro-plaque build-up, or poor circulation can impeded blood flow which can results in erectile dysfunction.
The second reason is the imbalance of hormones in the body. As the body ages, it produces less and less testosterone and other hormones. This can significantly impact a person’s ability to become erect.
The third reason is related to the brain and how it is functioning. Sometimes nerves or “stage freight” can be a psychological barrier that can make achieving an erection incredibly difficult.
While these factors are what commonly contribute to erectile dysfunction in older men, there has been a noticeable rise in cases of erectile dysfunction amongst younger men. A potential and likely cause of this increase is the rise of porn addiction amongst younger individuals.
Porn Addiction and Erectile Dysfunction in Younger Men
According to studies, the rate of erectile dysfunction amongst men was around 2% to 5% during the year 2000. From then until 2011, the number of men under 40 who were experiencing ED had risen to around 14% to 28%.
While this correlation does not explicitly mean that there is a direct link between pornography and rising rates in ED amongst younger men, it does show the abundance and ease of accessibility to porn may play a key role.
It is important to understand that simply watching porn on occasion does not mean a person suffers from porn addiction. Porn becomes an addiction when it begins to interfere with and take over the person’s life.
People who suffer from porn addiction will be consumed by pornography while ignoring the things or activities in life that they used to love. This can lead to strain in relationships with family, friends, and partners as they will spend less time engaging with these people and more time-consuming pornography.
Some common indications of a porn addiction include:
- Feeling the need to watch porn throughout the day to get your “fix”
- Spending hours of your day scrolling through porn sites
- Neglecting your responsibilities to watch porn
- Neglecting loved ones to watch porn
- Feeling irritable or unfocused in daily life
- Lack of sleep
- Being more demanding of your partner while having sex
In relation to erectile dysfunction, porn addiction can contribute to this issue by affecting the brain, one of the three main factors that can cause ED. Sexual stimuli causes the brain to release things like dopamine which triggers the process that signals the penis to become erect.
The more you watch porn, the more you stimulate the brain to release dopamine, and like drug addictions, the more you take, the less it works until it is too difficult for the brain to release enough to trigger and maintain an erection.
How Novus Anti-Aging Center Can Help
If you are suffering from erectile dysfunction and want to know the cause of the issue, our team at Novus Anti-Aging Center can help by ruling out any physical causes like impeded blood flow or hormonal imbalance. From there you can take charge by finding a trained counselor or sex therapist who can help you with your porn addiction so you can gain back control. Get started today by contacting Novus Anti-Aging Center to schedule an appointment.