Alcohol Before Sex – Does It Help or Harm?

Have you ever used alcohol to overcome sexual difficulties or inhibitions? Or have you ever thought that alcohol could help you cope with your anxiety before sex? Will it relax, make you feel more self-confident? Well, studies show that alcohol in small amounts actually disinhibits sexually, reduces anxiety levels, gives temporary happiness and increases self-esteem. These apparently positive effects of drinking alcohol make us eagerly reach for it before intercourse. Over time, however, we notice that alcohol becomes an essential element in the fulfillment of sexual needs.

Excessive alcohol consumption may result in a decreased ability to be sexually aroused in women. It is associated with a disorder of lubrication, with decreased desire and difficulty in experiencing orgasm. Lack of proper hydration often causes discomfort, pain during intercourse, as well as irritation and damage to the genitals. Alcohol can also cause menstrual irregularities and even dyspareunia (sexual dysfunction where you feel pain when trying to penetrate or during penetration).

Even moderate alcohol consumption leads to decreased sexual responses. Sexual dysfunction is reported in 70% of men who drink regularly. Hormonal changes appear in them, testosterone levels decrease, leading to feminization of men, destroying the structure of sperm and reducing their mobility. Alcohol also affects the ability to be sexually aroused, causing erectile dysfunction and delayed ejaculation. It can also reduce the volume of the ejaculate. Even if an erection does occur, there is a good chance that it will be impossible to maintain. Consuming large amounts of alcohol causes damage to the vascular endothelium, reducing blood flow to the genitals, and damages the nervous system, thus blunting the sensations, making it impossible to survive orgasm.

If your answer to the above questions was yes or you are struggling with any difficulties in the sexual sphere, it is always worth going to a specialist who will look at the cause of these difficulties. A psychologist-sexologist will help you understand their genesis and select an individual treatment plan to fully restore the possibility of sexual satisfaction.

Author: Nadia Urbańska