Narcissism & ED

Mindsplain dives into the connection between pathological narcissism and erectile difficulties, asking sexperts to weigh in with their opinion.

Read my contribution below or check out the full article here.

Excerpt:

This link could be explained by the fact that narcissists can have trouble connecting emotionally, explains Indigo Stray Conger, a certified sex therapist and writer for Choosing Therapy. 

“In terms of adult attachment styles, men with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) tend to be on the far end of the attachment spectrum, under Avoidant Attachment. Avoidant attachers have difficulty connecting emotionally during sex, often using masturbation in lieu of sex with partners and having less interest in sexual connection with partners as relationships become long term. Men with NPD, in addition to these factors, tend to use sex as a way to achieve self-esteem and emotional manipulation,” explains Conger.

“This cluster of issues around sexual connection lends itself to erectile dysfunction, particularly in longer relationships and as men age, as men with NPD have difficulty connecting emotionally and feeling embodied during sexual activity.”