The causes of Erectile Dysfunction

The causes of erectile dysfunction can be broadly classified into two principal categories, physiological and psychological causes. From these two, physiological factors are found to be the primary cause of erectile dysfunction. However physicians state that approximately eighty-five percent of erectile dysfunction is attributed to physiological/organic conditions while only fifteen percent is due to psychological or mixed origin (both psychological and organic). Moreover, there are some lifestyle factors which are also found to cause erectile dysfunction to a substantial degree.

Physiological Causes Of Erectile Dysfunction

Some of the prominent physiological causes responsible for erectile dysfunction in men are detailed below:

* Vascular diseases like arteriosclerosis, hypertension, hypercholestremia,
* Diabetes
* PrescriptionMedications

(i)Antihypertensives such as beta-blockers, diuretic medications and calcium channel blockers.

(ii)Antidepressant/antipsychoticmedications

(iii)Antiandrogen medications used in the treatment of prostate cancer

(iv) Chemotherapy/radiation therapy used in the treatment of cancer
* Substance abuse like the chronic intake of marijuana, cocaine, alcohol e.t.c.
* Radical Pelvic Surgery
* Neurological Diseases
* Deficiencies in the Endocrine System
* Psychological Erectile Dysfunction
* Anatomical deviation of the penis

Psychological Causes Of Erectile Dysfunction

Even though physiological reasons account for most of the cases of erectile dysfunction, the role played by psychological causes in triggering off erectile dysfunction in men cannot be ruled out altogether. The effective functioning of a man's sexual life depends a lot on his mental well being and only when a man is mentally steady and fine, he is able to extract the maximum sexual satisfaction by physically uniting with his partner. There are a lot of factors that cause mental disturbance in a man and make him a victim of erectile dysfunction thereby ruining his sex life. The psychological causes that lead to erectile dysfunction are namely,

* anxiety with regard to one's sexual performance
* Indifference towards the existing sexual relationship between partners
* Stress caused by hectic lifestyle and other factors
* Serious depression on account of relationship failure, business loss and similar other setbacks
* low self esteem resulting from earlier episodes of unfulfilled sex

Lifestyle Causes of Erectile Dysfunction

A healthy lifestyle prevents the occurrence of erectile dysfunction or male impotence to a considerable extent but if men continue to indulge in harmful vices like smoking, drinking, drug usage et al, then sooner or later they are likely to become erectile dysfunction patients. Important facts concerning lifestyle causes and erectile dysfunction are placed below:

* Excessive alcohol intake may increase high blood pressure levels and induce erectile dysfunction.
* High levels of nicotine released in the blood on account of cigarette smoking and the smoking of other tobacco containing substances reduce blood flow to the penis and lead to erectile dysfunction.
* Apart from alcohol and tobacco containing products, the intake of marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy is also a primary cause of male impotence.
* Overweight men as well as people leading sedentary lifestyle are highly at risk of erectile dysfunction.

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Are You Suffering From Sex Dependency Disorder?

Masuo Kamiyama

About two years ago, 29-year-old Asuka Hisamoto, who describes herself as a "completely ordinary" housewife, developed an irresistible itch for coitus.

"I wanted to do it every night," the Hyogo Prefecture resident relates in Uramono Japan. "It got to the point that my husband couldn't stand it any longer and began sleeping on the sofa.

"As a woman, I found that insulting. So I had no choice but to turn to masturbation. Before long I was doing it constantly, bringing myself to orgasm like, uh, 15 times a day.

"But it wasn't enough to satisfy me. I eventually turned to prowling encounter sites on the Web looking for a man who could do me properly."

But that wasn't as easy as it seemed. Hisamoto continues:

"I figured one guy would be enough to satisfy me, but wound up doing it with about 30 guys. Multiple times too. Must have come to 300 or 400 all together."

Hisamoto consulted a physician and after undergoing a battery of self-administered tests and consultations, was informed by the doc that she suffered from full-blown sex dependency disorder.

She was prescribed an antidepressant, but the medication didn't have any dramatic effect. Thinking some group therapy might be beneficial, the doctor advised her to attend a meeting of "Circle X."

Last February, Hisamono relates in her Uramono Japan monologue, 16 of them -- young, old, male and female -- got together in Osaka for a group therapy session. Seated in a circle, they began to relate their tales of woe.

From the topics they discussed, this group of sexaholics might have been more appropriately named "Circle XXX."

"My name is Acchan and I'm from Kobe," the first man, eyes cast downward, mutters in the way of self introduction. "I was so hooked to adult sites on the Internet that I'd spend all day in net cafes, and never go to work."

"When I turned 60, my wife divorced me after I forced her to attend a swapping party," a second confesses.

"I was sentenced to do time in prison for procuring underaged teenage hookers," another one admits. "I did it with 80 of them."

As Hisamoto sat there, transfixed, the tales of sexual woes became increasingly extreme.

"I procured porno videos and women's erotic manga by the hundreds," weeps a 19-year-old youth. "Their accumulated weight became so heavy it nearly caused the second story floor of my house to collapse."

"I'm gay," confesses a 24-year-old employed at a night club. "My lifestyle was so promiscuous I developed a prolapsed rectum and it eventually became malignant."

Some participants found it excruciatingly hard to get their problems off their chest. Understandable, perhaps, in the following case.

"I ... I ... I ... have always liked animals ..." a middle-aged male of short stature stammers. But try as he might, he couldn't bring himself to get to the root of his rooting problem, as they say in Australia.

"Come on," another member exhorts him. "It's all right. We're all together on this. Give it your best shot."

"I ... I screwed ... a ... fish!!" he finally blurts out. "A Prussian carp. And other species."

His listeners' jaws slackened in amazement. You could have heard a pin drop at that moment.

Thanks to the group therapy sessions and support from her understanding hubby, Hisamoto tells Uramono Japan that she's on the road to both psychological and physical satisfaction.

Wait a second, did she say "satisfaction"? And suspiciously, the word "recovery" appears to be lacking entirely. Er, madam, can you be a little more specific about that reference to satisfaction?

Oho -- it seems that Hisamoto hooked up with one of the hornier male members of Circle X, and the two of them have discovered that their perennially horny condition can be alleviated by mutual therapy, between consenting adults in private, as it goes.

So for the time being, at least, Hisamoto and her newfound friend are having too much fun fornicating to seek a further therapy.

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