Male Body Concerns / Question
Published: July 14, 2004
Dear TeenHealthFX,
I'm 20 years old and have just started having sex with my girlfriend. Half the times I cant maintain the erection until I'm finished. She is gorgeous so I know it's not her fault. Recently I've noticed that I haven't been getting morning erections. I have been incredibly stressed at school and this problem has certainly added to that. I always seem to get a little nervous during sex, mainly because I'm afraid of the problem recurring. Does this sound like a stress issue or something more? Can stress prevent morning erections? I don't smoke, drink, use drugs or even eat unhealthy and this has left me unbelievably scared. Some more background information on me is that I started masturbating at a very young age and I have no trouble when I masturbate although my erections aren't as hard as they once were. Please tell me what the likely problem is.
Signed: Erection Problems Ruining My Life
Dear Erection Problems Ruining My Life,
Experts believe that psychological factors cause 10 to 20 percent of cases of erectile problems, and this is a very common occurrence in teenage boys. These factors include things like stress, anxiety, guilt, depression, low self-esteem, and fear of sexual failure. You say that you are incredibly stressed at school, which can definitely play a role in having difficulties maintaining an erection. This combined with nervousness and anxiety that you will keep having problems during intercourse, can make it very hard to have satisfying sexual relations. Some advice is to take more time with foreplay and use your imagination to help you relax. If you are feeling especially stressed one day, do not have sex - that way you won't have to worry about not performing as well as you would like, and you won't get frustrated if you cannot maintain your erection. Sex is meant to be a meaningful experience between two people, not something that makes you nervous and upset. Take your time, relax and make sure that things feel right.
Masturbation is a normal, healthy activity and should not affect your ability to maintain an erection during sex, regardless of how young you were when you started doing it. Stress can definitely prevent morning erections and can make you feel as though your erections when you masturbate are not as hard as they once were, either.
If you continue to have problems maintaining an erection after the stresses in your life clear up a little bit, then you should see a doctor so he or she can determine what exactly is going on and how best to fix it. If you live in northern New Jersey and would like to meet with a doctor from the Adolescent/Young Adult Center for Health, you can call 973.971.6475 for an appointment. If you live outside of New Jersey, please call your local teen health clinic or Planned Parenthood.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
About 6.2 million Americans get a new genital HPV infection each year.
