Losing Erections? Don’t Panic, Here Are 7 Reasons a Man Might Lose His Erection

Ladies, don’t take it personally. And gentlemen, don’t panic. There are many possible causes for a man to lose his erection.

And yes, it can be incredibly inconvenient and potentially embarrassing when the moment is right but things aren’t happening as expected.

There are a lot of bodily systems that go into achieving an erection. If something is amiss, an erection might be fleeting.

‍

Here are 7 reasons why you might be losing your erections

‍

1. Stage fright

Performance anxiety is quite literally the anti-boner. If you’re feeling extremely nervous and self-conscious, performance anxiety might be getting the better of you. If you are more preoccupied with the mental chatter going on in your mind, you might find it hard to relax enough to get and sustain an erection.

‍

2. Medications might be afflicting your erections

There may be a medication you’re taking that is causing some unwanted side effects. Described as a substance-induced sexual dysfunction, certain medications might be standing in your way of an erection. These common classes of prescription medications might affect your sexual function:

• Antidepressants
• Muscle relaxants
• Antihistamines
• NSAIDs
• Anti-anxiety drugs
• High blood pressure medications

‍

3. You’ve had one too many drinks

While “liquid courage” might be a defining feature of your sex life, it might also be putting a damper on the party. Alcohol can affect a man’s ability to achieve an erection as this depressant decreases blood flow to the penis, delays reactions, and dulls nerve reactions. Drink in moderation, and it likely will have little effect on your sex life. But, alcohol abuse may lead to long-term erectile dysfunction.

‍

4. A smoking habit is affecting your bedroom fun

Cigarette smoking can damage blood vessels and the most important aspect of an erection is blood flow. Those who smoke 20 or more cigarettes a day have a 60 percent higher chance of erectile dysfunction issues versus those who do not smoke.

‍

5. Depression may play a role

For some men, depression might affect their ability to achieve an erection. Arousal starts in the brain, so if you are diagnosed with depression, difficulty with erections and sexual pleasure could be a byproduct. Depression might also be medicated with SSRIs which can affect sexual urges, arousal, and erections.

‍

6. Illicit drug use can impair sexual function

On top of common prescription medications, the use of recreational drugs can affect your sexual performance as well. Illicit drugs can damage many parts of the body and impair the optimal functioning of many bodily systems. Illicit drugs that may cause you to lose your erections:

• Amphetamines can affect blood flow and restrict blood flow to the penis.
• Barbiturates can decrease arousal.
• Cocaine can affect blood flow, preventing sufficient penile blood flow.
• Marijuana can prevent penile muscles from relaxing, restricting blood flow.
• Heroin can decrease levels of testosterone and interest in sex.

‍

Does losing an erection mean you have erectile dysfunction?

Not necessarily. If this occurs as a one-off situation, or while you're a little too tipsy, no, this does not necessarily point to erectile dysfunction.

However, if this is happening frequently and consistently, you should speak to your primary care physician or urologist to better understand the situation.

‍

Strut Health treats erectile dysfunction online

When experiencing any sexual dysfunction, it's best to consult a medical doctor.

Here at Strut Health, we offer free online consultations with our licensed medical team, and carry the most popular ED prescriptions like Sildenafil (generic Viagra) and Tadalafil (generic Cialis).

If our medical team determines you're a good candidate for erectile dysfunction (ED) treatment, Strut can discreetly ship prescription ED medications to your door.