Treating Stress-Related ED with Therapy

There are dozens of causes for erectile dysfunction, including stress and anxiety.

When men are stressed about work, finances or family issues, it can take a toll on their sex life making it difficult to get or keep an erection.

Typically, erectile dysfunction that’s caused by stress is a short-term problem that usually goes away when stress is alleviated. However, de-stressing your life might not be as easy as you’d like.

For those struggling with stress-related erectile dysfunction, sex therapy may be a solution. Here’s what you should know:

Sex therapy defined

Sex therapy usually includes a weekly appointment where men talk about the problem and are given “exercises” to do at home to take the stress out of sex.

Sex therapy works best when couples attend together, typically for about 3-4 months.

Cost and insurance details

Some insurance companies do cover sex therapy. Call your insurance provider to see if it’s a covered expense, and if so, see which therapists you can see in your area.

Get a list of therapists and do some homework. Research the therapists online and run the list of names by your primary care physicians as well.

If insurance doesn’t cover therapy, the cost varies. WebMD says sex therapy programs can cost anywhere between $600-2,300, so be sure to ask about cost before signing up for treatment.

Getting the best results

Talking about erectile dysfunction isn’t easy for many men, so scheduling an appointment to do so probably isn’t high on your to-do list. However, sex therapy has a good track record. When a couple attends sex therapy together the success rate is between 50-70%.

It’s important to be honest about the problem and willing to try new things to overcome the stress-related problem.

Of course, you can also talk with your doctor about treating erectile dysfunction with medication like Viagra as well. You can still attend sex therapy to strengthen your relationship and only rely on medication as needed.