Condoms and HIV tests – these things come to mind when thinking of sexual health. Most of us have seen those billboards, encouraging us to get tested and practice safer sex. But there’s more to sexual health than this – and it may impact your erection health too.
What’s sexual health anyway?
The World Health Organization defines sexual health as “a state of physical, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality. It requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination, and violence.”
See it’s not just about being free of disease? It’s about sexuality balanced at all levels – body, mind and the social aspect. Hey, it’s about pleasure too (they don’t tell you that in school, do they?)
The essentials of sexual health
To be sexually healthy, you need to know a thing or two about sex. Without this knowledge, it might be hard to decide what you like, how to protect yourself and when to say no (or yes).
Learning about your intimate health includes reading up on erectile dysfunction (you’ve come to the right place – just browse through our vast library of blog posts on all things ED).
Sexual health is also about, well… staying healthy. So doing STI checkups should be a part of your medical routine. If you think this problem doesn’t concern you because you have no visible signs of infection, I have to disappoint you. Some STIs (sexually transmitted infections) don’t give any symptoms. And these same infections, if untreated, can impact your sexual health (and your partner’s too).
What does shame have to do with it?
Some components of sexual health may not seem obvious to you. Like shame for example. Did you know there is even a male sexual shame scale? Researchers developed a tool to measure men’s shame in the sphere of intimacy. The questionnaire has 30 questions on such shame triggers as performance insecurity or being ashamed of your own inexperience as a lover.
While it’s not possible to get rid of shame completely, knowing what causes it might help you get more satisfaction in bed. Many cases of ED are grounded in your thoughts and emotions. Working through your performance anxiety or other stress factors with a therapist might help you improve your erection health.
It’s never too late to get sexually healthy
These are just the basic elements of sexual health. But there’s so much more. Here are a few more factors that might have an impact on your life:
- your sexual and gender identity
- your reproductive health
- experience of violence or coercion
- ability to give consent or say no to sex
- body image and acceptance.
If you have never thought about your intimate life from these perspectives, it’s OK. Most of us never received comprehensive sexuality education as teenagers. As adults, we need to catch up and get curious about these things again.
Start by exploring sex education websites or go to the bookstore and get yourself some reading material. And don’t forget to check our Sexual Health page to learn more about modern treatment options.
Anka Grzywacz is a sexologist, reproductive health expert and Certified Sex Coach™. In her online practice she helps busy women and couples solve their intimate problems.