Katelyn Wilburn, Campus Carrier staff writer
In the past decade, there has been a significant increase in erectile dysfunction in younger males, specifically ranging from the teen years to late thirties. This is caused by several issues, including the physical and mental well-being of the males affected.
The National Library of Medicine defines erectile dysfunction (ED) as “the inability to achieve or maintain a sufficient erection to engage in sexual intercourse,” also explaining that, “although the prevalence of organic ED increases with age, a significant cohort of men under the age of 40 suffers from such.”
“One [cause] is psychological, physiological and lifestyle, which I think all goes with the aftermath of the pandemic,” said Kuo Deng, assistant professor of psychology.
Deng further explains that the psychological pressure to be the “perfect man” when it comes to sexual activity creates extreme anxiety. There was also a significant increase in mental health disorders since the pandemic, such as depression. All these factors can lead to the inability to perform in the desired way.
“Otherwise, psychologically, there is also the possibility of just having more access to pornography,” said Deng.
With COVID-19’s lockdown, there was a significant increase in online activity and technology became more available to teens daily. With this increase, more teens were exposed to online pornography. A study from the National Institute of Health showed an 11.6% increase in views on select pornographic sites over the months of the lockdown, compared to the months prior.
“It’s been proven that pornography consumption plays a role in erectile dysfunction,” said Melanie Merrin, health center assistant director.
Physiological effects such as lack of sleep or extended screen time use can increase the probability of ED. The easier access to recreational drugs for younger ages is a large factor connected to ED, as well.
“I think our teenagers have prolonged screen time use, right? When you have that, it disrupts your sleep, and then you are more likely to suffer from hormonal imbalances.” Deng said.
Hormonal imbalances are affected by the use of substances as well, such as nicotine, marijuana, alcohol and similar inhibitors. There has also been an increase in the recreational use of erectile dysfunction medication, such as Viagra or Cialis, which can correlate to issues with sex addiction.
“So they’re using those, I guess to increase performance rather than for an actual disorder or dysfunction,” Merrin said. “So that could be potentially leading to dysfunction.”
Healthy lifestyle changes, such as better food habits and exercise, play important roles in ED prevention.
Only doing passive activities decreases your physical health and can relate to issues with blood flow. Poor eating habits are another factor, as salt content and saturated fats put one at risk for ED, along with overconsumption of alcohol, which can be an increased factor in a college setting. It is important to understand ED is normal for all males, even with it only recently becoming prevalent in younger ages.
“You struggled a little bit, but as long as you’re having consensual sexual activity with your partner, you mutually respect each other, there are other ways to be intimate,” Deng said.
Open communication and emotional stability can help ease sex anxiety, which in return brings more enjoyment to those involved. The key is to turn what could be a long-term issue into a short-term experience. With younger men, the cause of ED is usually psychological, which can also be treated with behavioral therapy. Erectile dysfunction can be over-stigmatized, and is often only spoken about behind closed doors.
“You watch the Super Bowl and there are ads all the time on TV for telehealth and private avenues for obtaining treatment,” Merrin said. “That could potentially be leading to just increase in reporting that is not necessarily reflective of an increase in incidence.”
Online resources are also available to those struggling, and online accessibility may also be a potential benefit for the healthcare industry in identifying these issues and helping those affected, as young people can feel more comfortable talking about ED or related issues online than in person.
“This is just as normal as any other mental health issue, or any other physical issue,” Deng said.
Berry has different avenues for mental and physical health, such as the Ladd Center. Even though the Ladd Center cannot treat ED, they can help people locate resources nearby or online.