Causes of Erectile Dysfunction
As we age, our bodies gradually slow down and it is normal for an older male to take longer
and to require more stimulation to become erect than a younger male.
Men of any age may experience single instances of erectile failure at some time or another.
Erectile dysfunction is considered a serious problem, when it occurs consistently or for a long period of time,
causing significant stress to the individual or to his relationship.
Very often erectile dysfunction will have more than only one cause.
The causes involved in erectile dysfunction can be purely psychological (10% of all causes)
or physical and organic (90% of all causes), but oftentimes it is a combination of both.
There are many reasons for a purely psychological, or non-organic cause for erectile dysfunction.
They may include the following:
- Stress and fatigue
- Anxiety about sex, e.g. in people who are unsure of themselves or fear humiliation
- Estrangement from partner like unresolved conflicts
- Misdirected sexual desire like people ashamed about their sexuality forcing themselves to desire the wrong sex
- Loss of erotic associations which is a psychological process whereby the brain relabels stimuli which were once erotic as non-erotic
- Depression
- Previous traumatic sexual experience or abuse
Physical conditions can also lead to erectile dysfunction. Some of them can be avoided in
advance by taking care of sexual health.
Physical conditions which may affect healthy sexual functioning may include the following:
- Hormonal imbalances, like low level of adrogen
- Illnesses that causes a metabolic disturbance, like diabetes
- Heart disease (including hypertension)
- Neurological disorders
- Nutritional and lifestyle issues,
- Medical conditions, like side effects of medications
- Alcoholism, heavy smoking, drug abuse etc.
The most common causes of erectile dysfunction are nutritional and lifestyle issues, hormonal imbalances, and vascular disease.
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