Premature ejaculation: How hypnosis can help
Premature ejaculation, or PE, as it is most often referred to, is one of the most common types of sexual problems that men may suffer. In fact between 30-50% of men will suffer at least one episode of PE at some point in their life. This can increase significantly if alcohol and drugs are regularly used.
Studies on over 500 couples have found that on average men ejaculate between five to six minutes upon penetration. However, men who suffer from PE often report ejaculation between one to two minutes of penetration. This is in no-way an exact science as some men with PE may ejaculate within seconds and without the minimal of stimulation. Furthermore, it can be a lifelong condition which may have been present at puberty or acquired later on in life, usually after the age of 40 years old.
What causes PE? There is no definitive answer as it may depend on a number of factors. For instance, a man may have a hyper-sensitive penis. In such circumstances the minimal of stimulation may lead to PE. For example, PE may occur with the minimal of touch or simply being in the presence of someone they desire. Or perhaps there is a history of anxiety. Anxiety can fuel PE as it makes the body’s physiological system hyper-vigilant and goes into ‘fight or flight mode. Thus, the more anxiety suffered the more PE is likely to occur. And the more that PE occurs, the less time you have for body contact, and intimacy with a partner, and therefore an avoidance occurs which can then turn into a self-defeating behaviour.
Other factors which may lead to PE could be personality traits, such as perfectionism or men who are high achievers. Or maybe there are situational factors such as behaviour patterns which the man has habituated. This could range from stress, or perhaps masturbating too quickly due to a lack of privacy or opportunity, feelings of disgust, fears of rejection, fears of relationships or intimacy to perhaps having over bearing parents.
How can hypnosis help? There are a number of techniques the hypnotherapist can use to help the client with PE. For instance, penile hyper-sensitivity can be assisted greatly with the dial method This is simply training the client to ‘turn down’ an imagery dial of the penile sensitivity. Visualisation of this type of method is effective as the PE client learns to take back control of their body. The hypnotherapist can help with relaxation, especially using the progressive muscle relaxation in order to reduce anxiety, especially as when we are anxious the ‘fight and flight’ mechanism activates. Other techniques include cognitive rehearsal, building up self-esteem and self-confidence to helping the client ‘unlearn habits’ formed over the years which maybe fuelling the PE.
Whatever is causing the PE the hypnotherapist maybe able to help the client tackle this distressing and invasive condition.
