Highlights
- Erectile dysfunction affects both men and their partners.
- Erectile dysfunction can have both physical and psychological causes.
- Couples counseling for ED is a great addition to medical treatment.
- Working with a psychologist can help you resolve the relationship problems that ED can cause.
- Make the most out of counseling and strengthen your communication skills and your love life.
Erectile dysfunction is not just a man’s problem. The condition affects partners, too, and relationships often suffer. Couples counseling for ED can help you get back to a satisfying sex life and crisis-proof your relationship.
Here’s how.
How Erectile Dysfunction Affects Your Relationship
ED may be the cause or effect of deeper relationship problems. For most people, sex is fun and a great way to bond. Without intercourse, you can grow distant as a couple.
According to a study on men who consulted a doctor about their ED, half of the men participating hadn’t had any sexual activity with their partner for two and a half years!
Physical intimacy is a keystone of most relationships, and lack of sexual satisfaction can make you cranky and resentful. Sooner than you know, you stop giving each other a morning hug in bed or that warm goodnight kiss. The effects can be devastating on a relationship.
Getting the Most of Couples Counseling for ED
If your intimate problems are causing a crisis with your partner, don’t wait too long before getting help. A medical checkup and ED medication such as Viagra, Levitra, or Cialis should be the first step in your treatment plan. If you noticed that your marriage or relationship has suffered too, your next step should be to seek couples counseling for ED.
Research suggests that partner involvement in ED treatment increases the chance of recovery. Getting a few sessions with a psychologist can make a huge difference to your intimate relationship. Here’s how you can make the most of it.
Manage Stress Together
Some men are afraid to seek counseling for ED because they believe therapy is only for people who have a serious illness, like depression. That’s not true.
You may not realize that something as common as daily stress can be the reason you’re losing erections. It’s a vicious circle — you’re stressed out and can’t perform in bed, leading to more stress. Your partner might also get tense. She or he may feel guilt or responsibility for your sexual problems.
Couples counseling for ED can help you and your partner understand what’s stressing you in everyday life. Once you’ve learned to manage your stress levels, there’s a good chance your erectile problems will disappear.
Face Performance Anxiety
Erectile dysfunction is tough because it can shake your confidence as a man. Shame around your inability to have intercourse may evolve into performance anxiety.
The good news is that shame is not that hard to beat. It thrives in secrecy, and a couples’ therapist can help you discuss the problem. Once you open up and talk about ED with your partner, your burden will feel much lighter, and that alone can help improve your ED symptoms.
Help Your Partner Understand You
Your life partner may not understand what you’re going through with ED. They may be clueless about how to support you through all this. In that case, asking a sex therapist for help is a good solution. He or she will explain how erectile dysfunction works and reassure your partner that your condition isn’t their fault.
Moreover, the counselor can give them concrete ideas on how to help you during treatment. With your partner’s support, it will be much easier to introduce healthy lifestyle changes to reduce your ED.
Strengthen Your Bond
Modern ED treatments are so easy and effective that it’s tempting to take a pill and forget you ever had a problem. But if you decide to take a step further and get couples counseling for ED, you’ll crisis-proof your relationship for years to come.
Erectile dysfunction is one of those things that can bring out the best and the worst in a couple’s life. A therapist has the skills to help you navigate conflicts and clean up resentments.
Another great skill to master as a couple is communication. If you’re thinking to yourself, “But we already know how to talk to each other,” you’d be surprised how much there is to learn.
There’s a big difference between letting disagreements blow out of proportion and having constructive fights. Counseling won’t make your conflicts disappear, but you’ll know how to learn from them and improve your relationship.
Get Sexy Inspiration
When you have erectile dysfunction, sex feels like a performance test instead of a titillating experience. Working with a sex therapist or coach will bring the fun back into your bedroom.
ED pushes couples to get creative — and that’s a good thing. When intercourse is temporarily off the menu, you have to find new ways to be intimate. A counselor will guide you through a conversation about sexual desires and give practical tips to make them happen.
Take the First Step To Treat ED
Erectile dysfunction can create confusion in your relationship. With couples counseling for ED, you and your partner can face the challenges together and end up a stronger couple than before.
With the right ED treatment, most men can quickly get back to a satisfying sex life. Take the first step today and order your medication in our online pharmacy. Delivery is discrete and always free.
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.