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"Alcoholism will inevitably lead to sexual problems in a relationship. For men, this most often means problems getting and sustaining an erection, even when sober.&amp;amp;nbsp;These days, difficulty with erection is known as &amp;#039;erectile dysfunction&amp;#039; or &amp;#039;ED.&amp;#039;&amp;amp;nbsp;\u200B How does alcoholism cause sexual problems? Defining what constitutes alcoholism is not easy, because there&amp;#039;s no precise medical definition or diagnostic test.&amp;amp;nbsp;However, it is a medical condition in which a person becomes highly dependent on alcohol, despite the fact that it is proving harmful to health. Breaking the addiction is always very difficult. &amp;amp;nbsp; Alcoholism has both physical and social consequences.  There are the toxic effects of too much alcohol, consumed over the short and long term, on many body tissues \u2013 particularly in the liver, and the brain and nervous system.  There are also the social consequences of alcoholism: for many alcoholics, the disruption of their personal lives can be more immediately obvious and important than the chemical changes occurring inside them.  If either partner in a relationship is an alcoholic, then sexual difficulties will almost certainly be one of the consequences of the problem. For men, this most commonly manifests itself as erectile dysfunction (ED), which can be present even when you are sober. And in both sexes, alcoholism also has an adverse effect upon libido: long-standing alcoholism is accompanied by various hormone problems, among which is a fall in testosterone output. Sex is unlikely to be an attractive activity for anyone who has an inebriated partner; this is just one aspect of the relationship problems that alcoholism brings. Alcoholism and psychiatric illness In addition to the direct physical effects of excess alcohol, many alcoholics also have significant psychiatric illness, the most common being depression. Many depressed people turn to drinking to give short-term relief of depression, only to find that alcohol doesn&amp;#039;t help \u2013 but that the consumption can rapidly get out of control. The elderly are&amp;amp;nbsp;a section of the population that is growing in numbers, but in whom loneliness and depression are common and often not recognised. Regrettably, some of them turn to drinking to make life more bearable. Increasing age, depression and excessive alcohol use are all strongly associated with erectile dysfunction. How does having a problem with alcohol affect treatment?  Like alcoholism, ED in general is under-reported and concealed. Exactly how many people there are with both problems is therefore unknown. Treatment cannot start until all problems are recognised. The treatment of ED associated with alcoholism clearly has to emphasise the need to control the drinking and preferably stop it completely, but chronic alcoholism is a very difficult condition to treat successfully. Any associated depression also needs to be detected and effectively treated. In some people, this is the key to stopping the alcohol abuse. Although the common treatments for erectile dysfunction such as drug therapy (with Viagra and related medications) and mechanical aids are likely to work in an alcoholic man as far as obtaining an erection is concerned, they will do nothing to repair a relationship damaged from alcohol abuse. Marital therapy (that is, counselling) can be an essential part of helping a couple to regain any form of sexual relationship. Where to get help  Your GP Alcoholics Anonymous Relate or Relationships Scotland The College of Sexual and Relationship Therapy (COSRT) British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)  The Sexual Advice Association.  Other people also read: ED treatments: a variety of effective treatment options is now available. Premature ejaculation: find out what causes it. Blood pressure measurement: what is measured? Checking yourself for testicular cancer: why self-examine?  Based on a text by Christine Webber, psychotherapist, Dr David Delvin, GP and family planning specialist  Last updated 10.06.2015 "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/conditions/sexual-health/a3687/ed-and-alcoholism/>