A study of men seeking help for ejaculation disorders in Italy found that those with delayed ejaculation tended to exhibit more severe depressive and anxiety symptoms and lower sexual desire than men with premature ejaculation. They were also older on average. The paper was published in IJIR: Your Sexual Medicine Journal.
Premature ejaculation is defined as reaching orgasm and ejaculating sooner than desired, often within a minute of penetration or with minimal stimulation. It can cause frustration, anxiety, and reduced sexual satisfaction for both partners. Causes may include psychological factors such as stress, depression, or relationship problems, as well as biological factors like hormonal imbalances or nerve sensitivity.
In contrast, delayed ejaculation is the persistent difficulty or inability to reach orgasm and ejaculate despite adequate sexual stimulation. This condition can also cause emotional distress, relationship strain, and decreased confidence. Delayed ejaculation may result from psychological issues, nerve damage, certain medications, or chronic health conditions such as diabetes. Both conditions are forms of ejaculatory disorders and sexual dysfunction. They can occur occasionally or become chronic depending on underlying causes.
Study author Fausto Negri and colleagues note that many men with ejaculatory disorders have difficulty expressing negative feelings and that sexuality and emotional expression are closely linked. With this in mind, they conducted a study to define specific clinical and psychological profiles of individuals suffering from premature and delayed ejaculation and to investigate the association between delayed ejaculation and other domains of sexual functioning.
Study participants were 555 men seeking medical help for ejaculation disorders. Of these, 76 reported delayed ejaculation, while the remainder sought help for premature ejaculation. The average age was approximately 45 years. About 53% of participants with delayed ejaculation reported having a stable partner, compared with 64% of those with premature ejaculation.
Participants completed assessments of erectile function (the International Index of Erectile Function) and depression (the Beck Depression Inventory). Researchers also measured various hormones and collected other medical and demographic information.
Results showed that participants with delayed ejaculation were older than those with premature ejaculation (average ages 47 vs 44). They more often suffered from other disorders and tended to have more severe symptoms of depression and anxiety. Their sexual desire was lower, and their orgasmic function scores were reduced compared with participants with premature ejaculation. The two groups did not differ in relationship status, waist circumference, body mass index, or levels of the hormones examined.
“Roughly one of ten men presenting for self-reported ejaculatory dysfunction as their main complaint in real life suffers from delayed ejaculation. Usually, they are older than men with primary premature ejaculation and overall less healthy. They also report a poorer quality of sexual life, with lower sexual desire and orgasmic function. Moreover, men with delayed ejaculation have higher chances of clinically significant depression and anxiety, which significantly impact their overall sexual satisfaction,” the authors concluded.
The study highlights differences in psychological characteristics between forms of ejaculation disorders. However, the design does not allow causal inferences, and all participants were recruited from a single clinical center. Results may differ in other geographical areas.
The paper, “Men with delayed ejaculation report lower sexual satisfaction and more depressive symptoms than those with premature ejaculation: findings from a cross-sectional study,” was authored by Fausto Negri, Christian Corsini, Edoardo Pozzi, Massimiliano Raffo, Alessandro Bertini, Gabriele Birolini, Alessia d’Arma, Luca Boeri, Francesco Montorsi, Michael L. Eisenberg, and Andrea Salonia.
Related topics
Testosterone crisis persists: 15 evidence-based fixes to boost levels
Strong Obliques Boost Muscles, Posture, and Everyday Balance
PSA Test: A Comprehensive Guide to Prostate Cancer Screening
