The brain is a powerful thing. Thoughts and feelings, which seem so abstract on paper, can actually be translated by the body into full-blown physical issues. Sadness can lead to feelings of sluggishness, anger can lead to problems with your heart, and depression can lead to erectile dysfunction. Yes, when you’re feeling down, it may feel as though focusing on anything that isn’t depression can be downright impossible, and it is this mindset that can lead to erectile issues developing.
That’s not to say that general feelings of sadness will lead to problems in the bedroom. Depression is a diagnosable issue, with symptoms that include low self-esteem, fatigue, loss of appetite, and general apathy. These feelings can come together in a perfect storm of feeling crummy, and the brain spends all its time focusing on these issues, which can actually lead to other signals within the body getting lost in the shuffle.
Case in point, your erection. To achieve an erection, blood must be supplied to the penis, and the penis would send a signal to the brain to indicate that it is time to provide this blood to the penis. When you’re depressed, this signal might be missed, or filed incorrectly. This translates to the necessary signals missing their mark, and thus the body does not realize it is time to supply blood to the penis. Thus, missed erections, which leads to feelings of worthlessness and sadness, which simply serves to make the situation worse.
That’s not to say that erectile caused ED is a vicious circle you can’t claw yourself out of. If you believe you’re suffering from depression and you’ve recently found yourself struggling to achieve an erection, speak to a medical professional, whether it be a doctor or a mental health professional. Work with this person to get to the root of the problem, and you should be able to shake off the dark cloud of depression and regain your erection.