By Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].
Sexual performance anxiety, which is fear, worry, or anxiety related to sexual activity, affects up to 16 percent of women and 25 percent of men who are sexually active. active.
According to a study 2019, sexual performance anxiety is one of the most common sexual problems among men and women, although it is not recognized as a diagnosis. However, it often accompanies or precedes other sexual dysfunctions.
Severe anxiety about sexual performance can perpetuate a damaging cycle in which a person worries about performance and fears failure, experiences sexual difficulties, and then worries more about future performance.
In large-scale studies among men and women in the U.S. and the U.K., 6 to 16 percent of women and 9 to 25 percent of men reported feeling anxious about sexual performance for at least one month in the past year.
For women, this anxiety often manifests as distracting thoughts during sex, body image concerns, and low sexual desire.
Men may experience it in association with erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation and/or distraction that decreases sexual arousal.
According to the International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM), the impact of sexual performance anxiety on a person's relationship and sex life can be far-reaching.
"A person may lose self-confidence, begin to avoid sex and experience relationship difficulties or intimacy problems with their partner, if they have one," she noted in an article.
But, How can a person handle sexual performance anxiety?
To manage sexual performance anxiety, a person can practice "being in the moment" during sexual experiences, eliminate potential distractions, and focus on sensations rather than sexual function.
While there are no proven treatments for sexual performance anxiety due to the lack of studies specifically designed to address the issue, some experts suggest some options that may help a person manage sexual performance anxiety.
One of these is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which is a type of psychotherapy that has been shown to be effective in treating non-sexual performance anxiety and social anxiety, and is therefore recommended for sexual performance anxiety despite the lack of studies on the subject.
CBT aims to change patterns of thinking and behavior that have a negative impact on a person's life or well-being. When a person can think more clearly and rationally, he or she can respond to challenging situations more effectively, which is why it may be helpful in managing sexual performance anxiety.
Another is mindfulness meditation training, a useful technique for treating nonsexual performance anxiety and social anxiety.
When a person practices mindfulness, the goal is to focus on the sensations occurring in the present moment without judgment. Mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to help people regulate their emotions, which has positive implications for managing this type of anxiety.
The ISSM suggests that aids and medications such as oral pills to treat erectile dysfunction - known as phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors, or PDE5is - may also help.
Men who experience erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation related to this anxiety can use these medications, at a doctor's suggestion, to break the damaging anxiety-sexual dysfunction cycle.
Women, she says, may choose to use a personal lubricant and/or hormone treatment - for menopausal women - also on a doctor's recommendation, to address sexual pain associated with sexual performance anxiety.
It should be noted that the use of vibrators or sex toys can also benefit if you are experiencing difficulty reaching orgasm.
Finally, experts believe that serotonergic anxiolytics "or anti-anxiety drugs "may have potential for treating sexual performance anxiety.
Talking with your partner about your anxieties, as well as recognizing your fear, is another fundamental characteristic to help overcome such anxiety, so it is always advisable to keep an open mind and willingness to address the problem that, like others, does not discriminate in age, race, or social status.
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