Could ‘Pilly Willy’ be causing your partner’s erectile dysfunction? (And what you can do to help)
Is erectile dysfunction impacting your relationships? Find out why it’s possible that recreational drugs (also known as ‘Pilly Willy’) could be the cause.
For obvious reasons, erectile dysfunction has always been a difficult topic to broach. And, left untreated, it can lead to a loss of both physical and emotional intimacy in a relationship.
So what causes erectile dysfunction, and what help is there available for it? There are four main causes of erectile dysfunction:
- Abnormalities in blood flow.
- Hormonal imbalance (foe example, low testosterone levels).
- Abnormal nerve signalling due to medical issues.
- Psychological issues.
Erectile dysfunction is often thought to be an older man’s problem, but research shows that as many as 40% of men may experience the problem at some point by the age of 40.
How to get help for erectile dysfunction
If your partner is experiencing erectile dysfunction, then it is important they seek medical help from their doctor or a sexual health clinic. As embarrassing as it may be to them to talk to a doctor about it, they can feel reassured that their doctor will feel no embarrassment. And it is far better to discover the cause and seek treatment for it.
At their appointment, the doctor or nurse will ask about their lifestyle and relationships, and any problems they might be having. They’ll carry out basic health checks, such as taking their blood pressure and examine their genitals to rule out any physical causes. If they have symptoms like needing to pee more often, they may also need to have their prostate examined.
Could Pilly Willy be the cause of your partner’s erectile dysfunction?
But there’s one more increasingly common cause of erectile dysfunction in young and middle-aged men: recreational drug use. Many different recreational drugs can cause erectile dysfunction – known as Pilly Willy. Often, the recreational use of substances or even substance abuse causes erectile dysfunction by disrupting the normal body functions that lead to forming and sustaining an erect penis.
The most commonly used and abused substances that cause Pilly Willy are alcohol, smoking, and stimulants such as cocaine. There is a distinct difference between erectile dysfunction experienced in the short term due to recreational use of substances, and the chronic forms of erectile dysfunction that develop due to continued and long term use of these substances.
If your partner is a recreational or occasional user of substances such as cocaine that cause erectile dysfunction due to disruption in normal penile blood flow, the effects may disappear on their own if they discontinue their use of cocaine. Unfortunately, both tobacco and alcohol are readily available and addictive substances that are known to cause erectile dysfunction.
If you worry that your partner’s erectile dysfunction is caused by Pilly Willy try to broach the subject with them, and see what difference either giving up or cutting down on their use of the substances make to their erectile dysfunction. If it doesn’t help, then it’s wise for them to visit their doctor.
How to broach the subject of erectile dysfunction with your partner
It can be hard to broach the subject of erectile dysfunction with your partner. It’s highly likely they’ll be embarrassed and possibly defensive, especially if they haven’t opened up about it with you before.
Here’s some advice to help you open up a discussion:
- Learn as much as you can about erectile dysfunction – The more factual research you do, the better prepared you’ll be. It also means you can reassure them and suggest potential lifestyle changes and other solutions.
- Let them know your feelings haven’t changed – They may not voice it, but they may probably worry that your feelings about them have changed because of their problem. Reassure them that you’re in this together and still feel the same way about them.
- Talk about how you feel – Honesty is a two-way street, so be honest with them about how you feel about it too.
- Find new ways to be intimate – Continually trying something that isn’t working right now isn’t helpful for either of you. So be creative and find enjoyable activities that aren’t affected by erectile dysfunction. And not just in bed. Maintain your intimacy in other areas of your relationship too.
- Offer to go with them to the doctor – They may not want you there. but offer to go with them to speak to their doctor if they wish. It shows that you’re there for them and see it as something you’ll cope with together.
And finally, try not to worry. There’s plenty of help and support available for erectile dysfunction.
