Performance anxiety can be frustrating and difficult to make sense of for many men.

While some men experience anxiety during a sexual encounter, others find themselves worrying about their performance hours or days ahead of time.

Performance anxiety can be very difficult to talk about with partners and challenging to work through even with the most patient of partners.

As a result, some men find themselves avoiding sexual encounters, even if they have consistent relationships or partners.

Other men find themselves questioning themselves, their sexuality or their capacity to have relationships.

The causes of performance anxiety vary from person to person. Men who are vulnerable to anxiety are more likely to experience worries particular to their sexual performance.

Men that experience traumatic or difficult relationships that negatively impact their ability to feel confident sexually often experience anxiety about their performance.

Others may become anxious if their partners react with disappointment or criticism when they experience erectile dysfunction.

The good news is that there are effective strategies to treat performance anxiety.

Many of the same approaches used to treat more generalized forms of anxiety are effective interventions.

Other strategies involve developing comfort and confidence in talking about your worries with your partners.