Can stress or anxiety cause ED?

Yes, psychological factors like stress, anxiety, depression, or performance pressure can significantly contribute to erectile dysfunction. In fact, younger men are more likely to experience ED due to psychological reasons than physical ones. Stress about work, finances, or relationships can affect the brain’s ability to trigger the necessary physical response for an erection. This creates a cycle worrying about performance can cause ED, and experiencing ED increases anxiety. Performance anxiety is particularly common in new or pressured sexual situations. Counseling, sex therapy, and stress management techniques like meditation or exercise can be highly effective in addressing this. In some cases, combining therapy with medication provides the best results.