You can’t relax and enjoy yourself if you’re always analyzing your performance during sex. Restore excitement in your romantic life by investigating the causes of your sexual performance anxiety and learning techniques to calm your nerves. Here are the basics on sexual performance anxiety and how to overcome it!
What Is Sexual Performance Anxiety?
Anxiety before having sexual relations is common. But if you’re so scared that you can’t have sex or enjoy it, you can be suffering from sexual performance anxiety (SPA).
Sexual performance anxiety (SPA) is a sort of performance anxiety that manifests itself specifically in relation to sexual behavior. In many cases, this problem arises in the form of anxiety before or during the act in the sexually active person.
Men are more likely to suffer from this illness than women. Erectile dysfunction and other sexual problems are also possible outcomes. The fear of making a sexual mistake is a prevalent sexual problem in today’s society. Some studies put the prevalence of SPA in men between 9 and 25 percent, whereas in women, it ranges from 6 to 16 percent.
SPA has a slightly distinct appearance when it occurs prior to sex as opposed to when it is really occurring. When this happens before a sexual encounter, it becomes nearly impossible to have sex. It’s likely that you won’t get an erection or be able to keep it going. In these instances, you won’t be able to reach climax, much less enjoy your sex experience.
Untreated SPA can lead to a loss of interest in sex and other sexual activities and even to other sexual dysfunctions.
Identifying Sexual Performance Anxiety
It’s typical for men to incorrectly diagnose themselves with erectile dysfunction due to anxiety over their libido. While this illness may have a role in erectile dysfunction, it is not the same thing.
Sexual performance anxiety is hard to diagnose and treat because it is not a recognized medical disorder. A lot of people with erectile dysfunction don’t go to the doctor because of the shame they feel about their condition.
Sexual performance anxiety is hard to diagnose and treat because it is not a recognized medical disorder. A lot of people with erectile dysfunction don’t go to the doctor because of the shame they feel about their condition.
It is important to rule out other potential explanations for your poor sexual performance, such as physical sickness, before diagnosing sexual performance anxiety. Psychotherapists frequently diagnose SPA in their patients.
Symptoms of Sexual Performance Anxiety
Most people who suffer from sexual performance anxiety report experiencing the following symptoms:
- Lack of interest in or disinterest in sexual activity.
- Ejaculating too soon during sexual activity.
- An inability to get or keep an erection.
- Having trouble getting an orgasmic climax during sexual activity.
But women experience sexual performance anxiety in a somewhat different way than males do. Symptoms that women with this illness may encounter include
- Dehydration of the genital organs.
- Lack of arousability.
- Having sexual discomfort occasionally.
- Because people with sexual performance anxiety have varying degrees and types of symptoms, it’s important to keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary.
Diagnosing Sexual Performance Anxiety
A mental health practitioner, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, or therapist, can diagnose sexual performance anxiety.
These medical professionals are trained to diagnose medical conditions based on a patient’s physical and mental symptoms, as well as any accompanying thoughts or events. In addition, they can aid in the formulation of a therapeutic strategy.
Sexual Performance Anxiety and Erectile Dysfunction
The physiological implications of performance anxiety are still largely unexplored. Performance anxiety, however, was associated with sexual dysfunction in both sexes in research conducted in 2005.
It’s important to pay attention to the symptoms and differences between them to go get the right health treatment, whether psychological or physical.
Erectile Dysfunction Treatments for Performance Anxiety
The treatment of anxiety over sexual performance is often determined by the underlying causes of the condition. Medication and therapy together are often effective in treating symptoms.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is one form of psychotherapy that is occasionally prescribed for the treatment of SPA.
One of the other forms of treatment is medication. Doctors can prescribe erectile dysfunction drugs such as Viagra or Cialis to SPA patients.
The proper treatment for sexual performance anxiety requires more study, though. So far, the most successful treatments for SPA have included cognitive-behavioral therapy and medication. In addition, antidepressants buspirone, bupropion, and trazodone have all demonstrated promise in alleviating SPA symptoms.
Causes of Sexual Performance Anxiety
Hormones like norepinephrine and cortisol tend to rise when anxiety is present. Raised levels of these hormones are associated with elevated blood pressure, which in turn may reduce blood flow to the penis and make it difficult to get or maintain an erection.
There is no single reason for anxiousness before sexual performance. Issues with one’s own body image and self-esteem are among the many biological and psychological variables that contribute to this condition. The following are some of the most common causes of SPA:
- People who have unrealistic expectations of themselves in terms of their physical appearance (whether it be their height, weight, or the appearance of a certain body part) may suffer from SPA when they engage in sexual activities.
- Negative or traumatic sexual encounters in the past. Traumatic sexual experiences (SPA) can be brought on by having had bad times in the sack, whether with your current or previous partner.
- Intimacy issues stemming from a lack of emotional connection. Emotional difficulties in your relationship can be a trigger for SPA.
- Managing emotional or mental distress. It’s possible that mental health issues like depression and anxiety play a role in the development of SPA.
- Misuse of pornographic media. This may lead you to have an unrealistic expectation of what sex should be like. Scientists have found evidence connecting porn to ED. 2
- Unexposed sexuality. Those with less sexual experience may suffer nerves before their first sex due to a fear of making a mistake.
- Concern over stress levels rising. All facets of our lives, including our sexual lives, are impacted by stress. Work or other sources of stress can contribute to SPA in certain people.
How Performance Anxiety Happens
Anxiety triggers a cascade of physiological responses in the body, including vasoconstriction and elevated levels of stress chemicals, including adrenaline, norepinephrine, and cortisol. Because of this, your blood pressure rises, and less blood reaches places like your penis.
That makes it considerably more difficult to get and retain an erection, which dampens your sexual pleasure. When you’re nervous about giving a presentation, your body reacts physically, which makes it harder to have sex.
Suppose a man is anxious or frightened before engaging in sexual activity, for example. In that case, he may have problems achieving an erection even if he does not suffer from any of the known physical reasons for erectile dysfunction (ED).
Anxiety about how you’ll perform sexually might occur either before or during a session. When left untreated, performance anxiety can have a devastating impact on a person’s sexual life, leading (in some cases) to a marked decrease in desire to engage in sexual activity.
How to Overcome Sexual Performance Anxiety
Dismissing any guilt you may have about your less-than-ideal sexual life is the first step in overcoming sexual performance anxiety. Anxiety about sexual performance can fade over time, such as when one finds a new sexual partner or when a thorny relationship issue with one’s current partner is handled.
Many people who suffer from sexual performance anxiety wrongly assume that they can’t provide their partners with a fulfilling sexual experience. One way to combat performance anxiety is to concentrate on how much fun you and your partner are having instead of worrying about how well you are doing.
To further aid you with getting over SPA, here are some further suggestions:
Therapy
Schedule some time with a therapist or counselor who specializes in dealing with sexual issues. The causes of your sexual performance anxiety can be identified and treated through therapy. There are methods that can help you regain control of your libido if you have concerns about things like premature ejaculation.
Medication
People who have SPA are occasionally given the recommendation to use medications that are often used to treat erectile dysfunction, such as Viagra and Cialis.
Talk To Your Partner
You may get some relief from your nervousness by discussing it with your partner. You might become closer as a couple and have more fun in the bedroom if you work together to solve the problem.
Diversify Your Intimacy
Learn how to be intimate without sexual intercourse. Take a warm bath together or massage your sweetheart sensually. You can also take turns masturbating for each other so that you don’t constantly feel compelled to engage in sexual activity.
Take Your Mind Off Of The Sexual Act
Play a hot movie or some lovable music while you make love. Consider anything that makes you feel good. The worries that prevent you from becoming excited can be eliminated by diverting your attention from your sexual performance.
Finally, be gentle with yourself. Don’t criticize yourself for how you look or how you behave in bed. So that you can resume enjoying a fulfilling and healthy sexual life, seek assistance for your worry over sexual performance.
Some Other Tips
Here are some other suggestions to help you get over SPA:
- Meditation.
- Take your time and go slowly; you might not have given foreplay enough time when it came to both you and your spouse.
- Masturbating. Take some time to get to know yourself and learn what your requirements are.
- Recognize that sex isn’t always ideal. There may be days when you just don’t feel like having sex. Most likely, your physical ability has little to do with this.
- Get out of your head. Try to spend more time enjoying the act of having sex than worrying about what might go wrong.
- Reduce stress in your life. Stress over other aspects of your life, such as your finances or your job, might contribute to sexual performance anxiety. It can be beneficial to manage stress through exercise, meditation, and adequate sleep.
- Speak with a counselor. You might be able to identify the source of your sexual performance anxiety by speaking with a sex therapist.
Do you have any more questions about Sexual Performance Anxiety? You can contact our team of experts and let them guide you through the benefits of treating it. Don’t let sexual performance anxiety take the best of you. Call Clinic For Him and start taking care of your health today.
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