Psychological issues that aids in sexual disorder

A healthy sexual relationship is an important part of married life but the fast-paced world and the hectic schedule have resulted in certain sexual disorders. The stress of the surrounding environment has increased the prevalence of sexual disorder in men. So, you are not the only one if you are facing sexual disorder due to mental health issues or any other cause.

Sexual issues negatively affect the married life of a couple. This includes any kind of sexual disorder that hinders in healthy sexual intercourse. According to the studies it is found that many men who suffer from sexual disorder tend to have mental issues such as depression, stress and anxiety.

Mental health issues and sexual disorders are linked as we know that the brain is one of the important sexual organs. It is a brain that stimulates arousal and sends signals for sexual intercourse. Stress, depression and anxiety stops the signal sent to the penis and these results in sexual disorders.

What connects psychological issues and sexual disorder?

Stress caused due to trauma or relationship issues or work or any health conditions releases the hormones called cortisol instead of testosterone that is usually released under the stress from work out or a new healthy relationship or any feel-good factor. 

The cortisol hormones make the blood vessels in the penis narrow and this results in insufficient blood supply causing sexual disorder such as inability to keep the penis erect or maintain the erection for sexual intercourse.

The constriction of the blood vessels due to stress releasing hormones called cortisol reduces the level of sexual hormones in men. The low level of male sex hormones named testosterone is commonly found in males suffering from psychological issues.

Common mental health issues causing sexual problems

Some of the emotional causes resulting in negative sexual functions are anxiety, depression, stress, feeling of guilt or any trauma in the past or when a man is conscious about the body image and does not feel good about himself, it results in sexual disorders or sexual dysfunctions.

Symptoms of sexual disorder due to mental health issues

Mental health problems can cause sexual disorders and the common symptoms include inability to maintain the erection, semen is delivered either too early or there is absence of ejaculation, no arousal even with sexual stimulation and there is no desire to have sexual intercourse.

Risk factors of mental health leading to sexual disorders

Certain things that can affect your mental health and result in sexual disorder include mental disease, stress at work, hormonal changes, concern about your sexuality, pain during sexual intercourse, financial problems, family problems, religious factors and abuse from your partner. All these affect mental health and have adverse effects on sexual health in men.

Psychiatric disorders causing sexual disorder

Sexual disorder is quite prevalent in people suffering from psychological problems. The sexual dysfunction may be due to mental issues or as a side effect of medicines used to treat psychiatric disorders. 

The mental illness affects the sexual life in various ways that include-

Symptoms such as lack of interest or enthusiasm

Symptoms of depression 

Side effects of medication for mental health

Less chances of having a partner

All these situations lead the sufferer to keep the problem to himself and this keeps him away from sexual intercourse or leaves with the option of masturbation.

Mental disorders such as schizophrenia affect the relationship with your partner and damages the physical relationship as well. Any mental health issue that affects the emotional state of a person might cause low sexual desire, problem in sexual arousal, orgasm and may affect the erection of the penis.

Some of the medicines used for mental health treatment cause delayed ejaculation, low libido and result in erectile dysfunction problems as the side effects. Mental health that affects the eating disorder is also known to affect sexual disorders. 

This explains how mental health impacts your physical relation with your partner. So now, what can we do to manage sexual disorders?

Management of psychological issues and sexual disorder

The management of sexual disorder and mental health issues varies from person to person. The three basic steps for treating sexual disorders due to psychological issues includes-

• Look for any underlying health condition that might be a cause of sexual disorders. Certain sexual disorders such as premature ejaculation, pain during sexual intercourse are linked with physical health issues. Heart diseases, diabetes, prostate cancer, urethritis, hypertension etc are responsible factors for erectile dysfunction. If there are no underlying physical causes but you feel stressed, depressed or anxious then it is recommended to focus on the mental problems.

• Manage your stress, depression or anxiety. The first step involves managing the stress level or any mental health issues through therapies or medications depending on the patient’s requirement. It has been clinically proven that treating psychological issues have shown positive results in managing sexual disorders.

• Men are usually shy to talk about sexual disorders, they don’t open unless the stage reaches the peak of frustration or the partners have relationship problems. Talking about sexual disorder is the best way to manage stress or depression or any mental health issues. 

• Medicines such as anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medication are prescribed but these have various side effects on sexual functions. 

• Some of the sexual problems associated with medication of stress and depression include- not being able to enjoy married life, ejaculation problems which may be delayed or early, low libido and not being able to achieve orgasm.

• Talking openly about the problems you are undergoing helps the healthcare professional handle the issue more accurately with a quick result.

• Treatment of sexual disorder is approached when you think you have managed mental health issues or you don’t have any psychological issues but still there is sexual disorder. You may face sexual disorder as a side effect of medicines used to treat depression and anxiety.

Conclusion

Psychological issues and drugs used to treat such illnesses have a negative impact on sexual health of men. Mental health being one of the most common health problems in all over the world and amongst men, is majorly responsible for sexual disorders. It is important to know that such sexual disorders are purely treatable with a proper approach.