Male performance is a hot topic in men’s health, made less taboo in the last two decades by widespread internet access and popular acceptance of medications like Viagra® (sildenafil).
At the same time, addressing mental health has gone mainstream too, prescient as we see a marked increase in the prevalence of depression, mood disorders, and other mental health conditions.
Male sexual performance and mental health are closely connected and have the ability to impact one another in profound ways. Major depressive disorder, or depression, is a key risk factor for long-term health issues like stroke, heart disease, diabetes. It also plays a key role in men's performance and sexual health.
Below is a closer look at the relationship between depression and male performance, as well as ways you can combat impotence and fight the symptoms of depression.
How Does Depression Impact Sexual Health?
Mental health is known to have impacts that stretch far beyond the mind, and genetics may be responsible for many of these.
Depression is an example of a psychological condition that can impact aspects of your physical health and wellbeing, and can take over your life if not properly managed.
Your mood, thoughts, and feelings all have the ability to affect you physiologically, leading to headaches, issues with weight, and issues with sexual function. Symptoms of depression affect social health, diminish immune function, and worse.
Decreased Libido
The term libido describes the desire to or interest in having sex. Libido can differ from person to person but typically people have a baseline libido that requires some level of consistent and healthy intimacy. Deviations in libido can lead to difficulty becoming intimate, and depressive disorders are capable of doing just that.
When men (and women) are depressed, it can be significantly less appealing to initiate sex or have a desire to become intimate. Low libido can also contribute to depressive symptoms.
Erectile Dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction can occur for a number of reasons, including mental health. There is a subcategory of erectile dysfunction known as psychological erectile dysfunction which encompasses erectile dysfunction attributable to mental health.
Depression, anxiety, and stress are interrelated, and with psychological ED the effects of these lead to the inability to attain or maintain an erection. This represents one of the many physical symptoms that can accompany a mental health condition.
While these mental health concerns can lead to ED, it is important to note that ED may also induce these mental health symptoms. In fact, the relationship between the two can lead to a feedback loop in which depression and anxiety cause ED, which then leads to performance anxiety, which then feeds into the initial depressive or anxious response.
The complicated relationship between ED and mental health requires a holistic approach to getting your sex life back on track. Tackling the source of mental concerns while simultaneously getting ED medication can help to break this cycle and regain an important aspect of overall health and the ability to be intimate.
Premature Ejaculation
Premature ejaculation is characterized by ejaculation that occurs before you intended, or sooner than the average man. Premature ejaculation can not only be embarrassing, but it can also leave your partner feeling unsatisfied.
Premature ejaculation is quite common among men, however, a recent meta-analysis showed a distinct relationship between depression and an increased likelihood of premature ejaculation.
While there appears to be a link between PE and depression, it's an issue that's estimated to affect 1 in 3 adult men, depression or not. Many people are quick to cast blame on themselves, but the reality is that PE happens, and there are things you can do to ensure it doesn’t define your sex life and ability to be intimate.
Prescription-grade PE treatments can help you to last longer, have more autonomy in your climax, and restore your ability to please your partner. Sex therapy and "edging" techniques can help, too, allowing you to address underlying psychological concerns or better control your physical response to stimulus.
What Are the Other Ways Mental Health Can Impact Your Wellbeing?
If you've ever done yoga or meditation, many of the practices focus on the concept that a healthy mind leads to a healthy body. This teaching has merit when it comes to your overall well-being.
Depression affects your health on a grand scale, contributing to low self-esteem, feelings of sadness, lack of energy, and even thoughts of suicide, which can not only make you suffer emotionally, but can affect your physical wellbeing too.
Below is a closer look at other ways depression can impact your wellbeing and keep you from living your healthiest life.
One possible impact of depressive symptoms is an altered immune response. The immune system is a complex network of immune cells and processes that act together to protect the body from foreign bodies and potential infection.
Research has found that mild depressive symptoms are linked to an altered immune response that consists of a prolonged inflammation period.
Depression can lead to high blood pressure, weight gain, increased or decreased appetite, and chronic fatigue, all of which can take a toll on your immune function and ability to ward off pathogens.
Taking preventative measures can help you protect your body from infection. You can practice frequent hand hygiene, adherence to local disease prevention guidelines and state regulations, physical distancing strategies, and use of masks, especially in order to lessen the spread of disease.
Supporting your immunity from the inside out should also be a top priority for ongoing infection prevention. Good diet and nutrition, and things like prebiotics for immune support, can help to bolster your immune response.
The Takeaway
In summary, major depressive disorder, seasonal affective disorder, bipolar disorder, and other forms of depression can have profound effects on the human body, from impacting immunity to contributing to erectile dysfunction. Understanding the effects that depression has on your health and sexual health can help you understand what options are available for you and the best ways to overcome your symptoms.
If you're dealing with mental health concerns, reach out to a licensed medical professional to learn more about treatment. If your depression is severe or you've considered suicide, call1-800-273-8255 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
Rex MD's trained clinicians may be able to help with your sexual performance issues too. We provide men's sexual health medicines, prescribed online and delivered to your door if approved. It's fast and affordable. Learn more and get started by clicking here.
SOURCES
National Trends in the Prevalence and Treatment of Depression in Adolescents and Young Adults | NCBI
Relationship between premature ejaculation and depression | NCBI
