When you think of erectile dysfunction, you automatically think of some middle-aged man with a heart condition. No one ever thinks that erectile dysfunction can affect young men, but it is rather common. Erectile dysfunction effects men of all ages. Young men, under 30, are not immune to erectile dysfunction, but the reasons they get it are usually different than their older counterparts. Most often older men deal with the effects of erectile dysfunction because of a physical health condition they have developed. Younger men are usually dealing with a psychological issue that is manifesting erectile dysfunction as a symptom. Even with that said, many young man ask “can you have erectile dysfunction in your 20s?”
 
Here are the biggest mental culprits behind a young man’s erectile dysfunction in Your 20s.
 

Performance Anxiety

Performance anxiety doesn’t just happen before the big game or at the yearly performance. It can happen anytime it is important to do a good job. For a young guy, sex is one of the most important jobs there is and the pressure to do a good job can be overwhelming. Just being worried that you won’t perform well can make you not perform at all. It can be so bad that it can go from something temporary, like a bit of nerves or a little too much alcohol, to something more permanent. The more you think about it, the worse it gets. The best course of action is to recognize the situation for what it is and not overthink it. Know that it happens to everyone occasionally and train yourself to reduce the stress around intimacy.
 

Penile Abnormalities Can Effect Erectile Dysfunction in Your 20s

Sometimes foreskin or the curve of the penis will cause an obstruction to erection. This issue can be corrected with physical therapy or surgery, depending on the nature of the abnormality. Therapy is also beneficial in this instance too. Sometimes an abnormality of the penis can cause psychological problems which leak into the bedroom.
 

The Condom Conundrum

A lot of people think it’s a joke or a myth that condoms can cause loss of erection. Roughly 25% of young men report losing their erection while trying to put on a condom. While it is a proven fact, we can’t figure out why. Most experts believe that the act of maneuvering a condom onto your erection is a break from the stimulation and once its on it reduces sensation.
 

Depression Can Cause Erectile Dysfunction in Your 20s

Depression is a profound sadness with feelings of hopelessness and emptiness, and it has a very large impact on a man’s libido, or sex drive. It works the same way for women. If you are sad, sex isn’t on your mind. Being depressed usually means feeling bad about yourself too. Its not possible to get aroused if you don’t have any confidence in yourself. Depression and erectile dysfunction are like a chicken and egg scenario. You don’t usually see one without the other but its hard to tell which on came first.
 

 

Alcohol and Drugs

It should come as no surprise that alcohol is an erection destroyer. Studies have shown that binge drinkers and people who drink more than three times per week experience some trouble with erectile dysfunction. In small amounts alcohol decreases social inhibitions and makes it a lot easier to approach women. In large quantities alcohol is a depressant that effects sexual desire and performance. Drugs can have an effect on your erection. Both prescription and recreational drug activities can wreak havoc on your sex life. If you aren’t fighting to keep an erection, you can be fighting to get rid of one with cocaine. It causes priapism which is a condition where an erection lasts for more than four painful, swollen hours.
 

How Should Younger Men Treat Erectile Dysfunction in Your 20s?

Since the cause of most younger men’s erectile dysfunction is some sort of psychological issue, the best course of treatment is to see a therapist. Getting to the bottom of whatever is bothering you is the first step to solving erectile dysfunction for most younger guys. If medication is required, make sure to get a real prescription. Mixing medications or using bootleg medications can be deadly. Even mixing recreational drugs with erectile dysfunction drugs can be fatal. There is a scientific reason men are only prescribed these medications for a medical need. Taking them without it can kill you.
 
Young men can not only feel the effects of erectile dysfunction, but it is way more common than you’d think. Much of the battle is simply realizing tat it is a normal part of life and move on. Don’t stress and worry over it because that is exactly what makes the problem. If you think your erectile dysfunction is a signal that something else is wrong, do not hesitate to talk to a doctor. The faster you get treatment the better your chance at catching a problem before it gets to far. In most cases, erectile dysfunction is nothing more than a passing annoyance. Realizing that is half the battle.