In the last few years, there has been an increasing number of articles on the subject of porn contributing to a rise in the rate of erectile dysfunction cases, but is there any truth to the claim, can porn cause erectile dysfunction?
As we’ve mentioned in other blogs, there is plenty of evidence that erectile dysfunction is increasing in the west. According to an entry in the Journal of Sexual Medicine published in 2013, which was referenced in Men’s Health and the Huffington Post, one out of every four new erectile dysfunction patients is under 40 years old.
We can perhaps take it for granted that a lot of men under 40 watch porn, but is that actually contributing at all to erectile dysfunction?
The science
So, there’s certainly a logic behind the idea of porn causing erectile dysfunction. It could be giving men unrealistic expectations, or over-stimulating them to the point where they become disengaged in their actual physical relationships.
However, it’s hard to find many studies that really support this hypothesis. The Daily Mail certainly think they have, citing a study conducted in San Diego where ‘researchers noticed a strong association between regularly watching porn and suffering from a lack of sexual desire and erectile dysfunction.’
Detractors of such studies might point out that it was a simple survey asking people whether they thought porn was to blame for their erectile dysfunction, so it’s just more in the way of anecdotal evidence.
We’ll have to wait and see whether anything more conclusive comes out any time soon, but there are some other obvious ways porn can be problematic when it comes to mental health.
Porn addiction
People display addictive behaviour in all sorts of different areas, and porn is no exception. If you read the literature on websites about porn addiction, you’ll find many claims that porn leads to sexual dysfunction. This article from Project Know- an American addiction center- makes a list of warning signs and symptoms of porn dependency, including:
‘Continuing to view porn despite negative consequences, such as broken relationships or a job loss. Relationships where one partner is addicted to porn can lead to a reduction in intimacy, emotional distance, reduced sexual satisfaction, and an overall poorer quality of relationship.’
This kind of relationship breakdown could certainly contribute to erectile dysfunction, as could being exposed to unrealistic expectations of what men and women should be getting up to in the bedroom, or unrealistic expectations of what kind of physical dimensions (think: penis size, boob size) you or your partner should have.
Any form of addiction has the potential to damage close relationships.
Sexual appetite
A recent study at Ohio State University of over 200 students debunked some the popular myths about sex, including the idea that men think about sex every seven seconds.
It stands to reason, really- how would I ever have finished writing this article if that was the case? What’s that…? The article’s about sex?
Anyway, if men thought about sex every seven seconds, that would mean 8,000 sexy thoughts in 16 waking hours! In reality, the young men in the study reported thoughts of sex 19 times per day on average. The young women in the study reported an average of 10 thoughts about sex per day.
But, what if every time you thought about sex you could just summon up graphic depictions of it from a massive global library that you can access from just about anywhere in the world?
If you noticed that that was an accurate description of the world we live in, congratulations. You win one free erection.
There’s certainly a case to be made that this kind of access to sexual images (and noises…?) might lower some people’s libido when it comes to actually getting in the bedroom (without your laptop).
Other psychological causes
Unfortunately, there are many other potential psychological causes of erectile dysfunction even if porn isn’t contributing to the problem as much as some people say it is. Performance anxiety, stress, depression and loss of interest in intimate relationships can all be to blame.
Which is why increasing numbers of men (of all ages) are using viagra and related products such as Sildenafil. You can buy Sildenafil online here at PostMyMeds. All you need to do is fill out a short online consultation form so we can ensure it’s safe for you to use and you can have it delivered straight to your door, packaged with consideration for your privacy and with free delivery in the UK.
Sildenafil helps the user achieve an erection by dilating blood vessels in the penis and increasing blood flow to that part of the body. After you’ve taken the pill, it should be much easier to get an erection once sexual stimulation occurs.
Whatever’s causing your erectile dysfunction, Sildenafil can help you find your confidence again and improve your intimate relationship(s)!
