Talking to him about what’s wrong could be the first step to putting things right
It’s not your fault—or anyone else’s
Sex is more than a physical act for a lot of us. It’s a rare moment of intimacy in a very busy, noisy world. When that intimacy goes away, and you don’t know why, it can feel scary, confusing, and isolating. Especially if your partner can’t find a way to talk to you about what he’s going through.
Men who experience erection problems often feel personally responsible for the issue. They feel embarrassed and disappointed—for themselves and their partners. But these feeling scan be overcome with partner support and understanding. In fact, almost two-thirds of men want to talk about it with their partner.1
They just don’t know how. Unfortunately, that can leave their partners thinking all kinds of things, and even questioning their partner’s fidelity.
Could my partner be experiencing erection problems?
An erection problem is when a man is unable to get an erection or keep an erection hard enough for sex. Doctors call this condition erectile dysfunction.
Erection problems are very common and they happen to all types of men, for all types of reasons. This can include physical or psychological issues, as well as some types of medication. Symptoms may include an inability to achieve or maintain an erection suitable for sexual activity. While it may be a sporadic issue for some, consistent avoidance of intimacy or using distractions could indicate a problem. For a comprehensive overview of the issue, visit our EP education page. Continue reading below to find out how you can help support your partner with EP.
How you can help your partner
Talking about erection problems isn’t easy for anyone. But research shows that almost 80% of men dealing with erection problems agreed that they needed help to deal with this issue.1 There’s no right or wrong way to have a conversation about erection problems, but there are a few things that work well for others:
- Knowledge is power: learn as much as you can about erection problems and the treatment available. What’s right for one couple might not be right for another. You can find more information on this website or other healthcare sites such as the NHS.
- Get out of bed: Sometimes it’s easier to talk about sex in a completely neutral place where both of you can feel less vulnerable. Try to avoid the bedroom if possible.
- Reassure your partner: Share what you’ve learned about how common erection problems are. Also, remind him that it is a treatable condition and you can find a treatment together.
- Start the process together: Read through information about erection problems together and even offer to go with him to the pharmacist if he feels it’s necessary. A good place to start is with the Viagra Connect Suitability Checker to see if it's right for him.
- Edelman DXI, Viagra Connect – Men & Partners Research Results. February 2022.
- Men reporting difficulty getting or keeping an erection in the past 12 months. Based upon Ipsos Healthcare, December 2022, Viagra Connect: EP in the UK 2022 KPI Tracking Study, in a survey of 3938 men
