Commonly, every man at some point in life will experience an erection failure during sexual interaction. Although losing an erection in the middle of an intimate activity can be disappointing as it disrupts the normal flow and results in a bitter experience. However, it is normal. Most importantly, it is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about.
You might often fail to sustain your erection all of a sudden even after reaching a completely sexually aroused state. However, this issue occurs only once in a while and vanishes on its own. Men usually overthink that one incident of losing an erection which leads to unnecessary stress. This stress can further be a reason for performance anxiety. Which can invite more such incidents of losing erections in the future.
Potential causes of losing an erection midway through intercourse can be fatigue, anxiety, or excessive consumption of alcohol. However, you can still get an erection after losing it by simply initiating sexual stimulation for attaining arousal for the continuation of the session.
Losing Erection Occasionally
There is nothing wrong with losing an erection every so often. Sometimes you may feel anxious or stressed in any way that can cause an adrenaline rush. Which causes vascular contraction blocking blood circulation to the penile and preventing the erection from taking place. You may get back to normal after some time.
Stress During Sex
Feeling stressed is connected to your circumstances, and it is usually due to temporary reasons like an upcoming project deadline, exams, relationship struggles, or retirement. One of the effects of stress hormones is to narrow blood vessels. When less blood flows into your penile, it is more difficult to have an erection.
Even men who normally do not have any trouble getting excited might not be able to get an erection when they are stressing over some situation. As soon as you overcome your stress, you will eventually get back to your normal and be able to sustain your erection for an amazing sexual performance.
Performance Anxiety During Sex
Anxiety can be defined as feelings of nervousness, worry, or uneasiness toward some uncertain bothersome outcomes. It is the most common mental health condition that hampers sexual performance in most men.
Due to performance anxiety, some chemicals are released in the brain that interferes with arousal and prevents an erection or make it harder for men to sustain an erection. One failed attempt can give rise to more anxiety hence more such episodes of erection failures.
You may lose your erection as anxiety interrupts the normal function of your nervous system by preventing the nervous system from sending signals to your penile to sustain an erection. Thus, it is necessary to address it as soon as possible.
Feeling Fatigued
Fatigue is an overall feeling of tiredness or lack of energy. When you are fatigued after a long day of tirelessly working, you have no motivation or enough energy to have sex. Even if you indulge in sexual interaction then certainly you are going to face difficulties with keeping your erections. It is necessary to schedule a specific time for sexual interaction so that you can maintain your sexual health as well. Fatigue can decrease the desire for sex, and trying to indulge in sex when you are fatigued can cause you to lose your erection.
Stop Alcohol Intoxication
Alcohol has a mind-altering nature and also it is classified as a depressant that can often lead to erection failure. Excessive consumption of the same before indulging in sex can slow down the central nervous system and it can also interrupt the brain from sending signals to the nerves of the reproductive system for inducing an erection.
Also, alcohol can decrease the production of testosterone which may result in low libido (sexual desire). It damages the walls of the blood vessels and lead to long-term erectile difficulties.
Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning that it causes an individual to urinate more frequently than usual and that can result in dehydration. Dehydration thus decreases the amount of blood in the body. Also lowering the supply of blood to the penile and making it more difficult to get or sustain an erection.
Restrict Yourself From Smoking
A cigarette is yet another psychoactive (mind-altering) drug that increases the activity of the brain and as a result, affects its normal function. Smoking is an invitation to the hazardous chemicals in the body. The chemical present in the cigarettes damages the walls of the penile blood vessels and affects the erection function.
Moreover, the penile gets erect and remains harder when the arteries or blood vessels in the penile expand after receiving nerve signals in the penile and sustaining the erection. The nerves respond to the sexual stimuli signals sent by the messengers in the brain. Even if the nervous system is in the best condition, an erection might not be induced if the blood vessels are damaged due to smoking. Thus, smoking gradually degrades the quality of erections by affecting the reproductive as well as the nervous system.
Medicinal Side Reaction
A medicinal side effect could be the reason for losing an erection midway through intercourse. Certain medications are taken for treating medical illnesses like blood pressure, heart conditions, steroid treatment, anti-depressant, etc. can affect your performance.
Frequent Loss Of Erection
Frequent issues of erection failure can be an indication of some underlying serious medical condition. Several physiological, as well as psychological factors or sometimes a combination of both, can majorly contribute to persistent episodes of erection failures.
Physiological causes are observed in older men and they usually tend to occur gradually but become continuous over time. The causes may include obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, clogged arteries (atherosclerosis), hormonal imbalance such as thyroid or low testosterone, and prostate or spinal cord surgery.
In addition, when it comes to psychological problems, the younger men are most likely to experience them and it is indeed a cause of concern as it impacts your sexual performance. You can talk to a mental healthcare expert that can help you alleviate several psychological problems including stress, anxiety, guilt, depression, trauma, grief, Parkinson’s disease, relationship strains, and low self-esteem.
To Conclude
Losing an erection once in a while is normal given the circumstances. Erection problems can affect men at any time irrespective of their age is. Physical causes are more common in older men whereas emotional causes are mostly observed in younger men.
In case losing an erection gives you stress and triggers anxiety, it is wise to talk to a doctor that can examine your problem and help you identify the exact cause. Elaborate your exact concern and ask for their advice.
