A 35-year-old man visited the Men's Health Center, believing he had a severe physiological problem. His concern stemmed from reading his wife's diary, which mentioned an ex-lover. Despite the diary containing no sensitive details, he became obsessed with the thought of being "inferior." This anxiety made him unable to maintain an erection and led him to avoid his wife. However, his endocrine and cardiovascular test results were completely normal.
Doctor Tra Anh Duy, a specialist, explained that the patient's issue was not physical but a case of "performance anxiety" caused by low self-esteem. Following psychological counseling and guidance on open communication with his wife, the man's condition significantly improved.
Doctor Duy noted that many men harbor a secret fear of being compared in the bedroom. When intimacy is perceived as a "stage" to prove one's prowess, performance pressure can easily trigger this anxiety. This state over-activates the sympathetic nervous system, which then impairs the erectile reflex. Increased anxiety further releases adrenaline, accelerating heart rate and tensing muscles, directly hindering the relaxation mechanism necessary for an erection.
This condition often creates a vicious cycle: heightened anxiety leads to more failures, and increased failures intensify the anxiety. Statistics reveal that up to 40% of erectile dysfunction cases are heavily influenced by psychological factors. This pressure is further exacerbated by "fake metrics" from films and social media, leading many men to feel inadequate due to unrealistic expectations about sexual duration or size.
When a husband carries such pressure and avoids sexual intimacy, his wife may easily misinterpret his behavior as infidelity or a sign that she is no longer attractive. This misunderstanding can progressively widen the emotional gap between them.
To break this psychological cycle, Doctor Duy emphasized that men need to understand that sexual anxiety is a normal biological response, not a measure of self-worth. Intimacy is about emotional connection, not a performance, and most women value closeness more than "perfection."
"Clinical reality shows that sometimes the best medicine is simply the courage to share concerns with one's partner," Doctor Duy stated. When psychological barriers are removed, erectile dysfunction can subside without the need for medication. If symptoms persist, men should consult an andrologist for medical intervention combined with psychological therapy.
Le Phuong
