It's More Complicated For Older Guys

getagrip

Active Member
When an otherwise healthy 21-year old guy gets E.D. and he's been watching a lot of porn, the first guess is it's PIED. In older guys like me (I'm 66) there are more factors to consider. I've been watching quite a bit of porn since I've been single the past year and half following my second divorce. I have developed E.D.  Of course PIED was high on my list of culprits, but I thought it could also be due to any one of my various medications, especially Adderall and its offshoot Evekeo, which my psychiatrist prescribes off-label for depression. Recently I kicked the Adderall and hoped to see normal erections return. For a few days I did feel quite a bit hornier. But even if my libido increased somewhat, I was very disturbed that my E.D. hadn't gone away. If Adderall had been the problem, that would have been an easy fix. Although I am disappointed, I am now committed to a full 90-day reboot.

I need to do the reboot regardless. But I have other possible causes such as some of my other meds and an inguinal surgery I had at about the same time the E.D. started. It's known that on rare occasions this operation can damage critical nerves.

In any case, I need to do the reboot. If that doesn't cure the problem then I'll go to a urologist for a complete work-up.

As I mentioned in a post reply, we older guys have the advantage that we have not been exposed to high-speed porn since puberty. A shorter duration of addiction should theoretically mean a quicker recovery time. On the other hand, older guys have other factors to contend with:  lower testosterone levels, other contributing medical conditions, and the side effects of certain medications.

Hope springs eternal.
 
I'd consult a doctor about the other issues you cite for certain.  Adderall takes about 3 to 5 days to flush from your system, as I understand it.  Keep up the reboot, though.  You make a great point about exposure duration for we 'men of a certain age,' but I'm not fully convinced.  This problem strikes at the addiction level of the brain, so like nicotine or crack, one exposure can hook you - my opinion only.

Good luck, be strong.  You're not alone.
 

jjacks

Active Member
68 years old here. Not on any meds but just kicked a 10-year porn habit. Normal functioning started to return within a couple of months. (123 days clean now). Still need to build up my endurance so I can last longer.

By the way, the biggest gain was when I started to perform better and the performance anxiety disappeared.

Keep t it.
 

getagrip

Active Member
Thanks for the encouragement, jjacks. You give me hope for the future. I have never made it to the flatline phase... am I correct in assuming that during this phase the urge to PMO decreases?

Thanks.
 

Firstbigstep

Active Member
Hi Getagrip,

I wouldn't stress about finding the flatline - it'll happen when (and if) it happens. I'm Porn clear for 100+ days (I don't bother counting any more) and I'm not sure if I've actually experienced a flatline yet. I have good days, bad days, high and lows. I think that's just life.

From reading a lot of accounts of the reboot process on here, I think we all experience our reboot our own way. Yours will be unique to you.

I'm a 52 year old guy, btw, and I agree that we've not been exposed to high speed internet porn from the start. My progression to this point probably matches a lot of older guys here - mags, VHS, DVD, dial up, ADSL, High Speed porn. To me, that's just like ending up on heroin from starting on a few puffs on a joint.

Good luck dealing with all you face - good to have you here.
 
A

Andyuk

Guest
In my view there are several factors which can lead to ED. Porn is very high on the list. In my case that has led to performance anxiety as you wonder 'whats wrong' which becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.
The anxiety aspect has started to reappear occasionally and I am currently 6 weeks into reboot. Not quite sure how to go about this.
Keep strong folks...
 

getagrip

Active Member
Thanks again for the helpful responses.

Sleep deprivation could be another factor in my E.D., and that can be a vicious cycle with PMO. I stay up until daylight sometimes watching porn, get very little sleep, thus contributing to my ongoing sleep deprivation, which makes my E.D. worse, etc. etc. One of my big goals right now is improving my sleep habits.
 

Firstbigstep

Active Member
Disrupted sleep patterns have been the biggest challenge I've faced throughout my reboot. It's kinda getting better, but I'm still sick of waking at 4.15am as often as I do!

Good luck with everything.
 
Good to know disrupted sleep is a symptom here.  Holy cow.  Nightmares, night sweats, etc.

Also noticed the following:

I'm not pissing correctly anymore
Depressed, negative thoughts
Lack of energy, but might be the above
Oh, and no wood... boners... at all... none

Anyone else?
 

arturo518

Member
I have been noticing that I actually sleep a lot better now. One of the dumb things I use to do was fall asleep listening to youtube brain wave videos after watching 3 hours of porn. No wonder I was exhausted all the time. One aspect of porn addiction is also an addiction to the internet itself. It's just so damn easy to slip back into it. I'm in day ten now and I feel pretty good. My urge to masturbate has decreased dramatically and my sexual fantasizing as well. I really feel like at some point i'm going to want to be with a woman again but I'm just going to take this one day at a time for now. I think their are a few more layers of this onion that need to go before that can happen. If it wasn't for my discovery of this website I know I wouldn't be doing this right now. So thanks to everyone who made this possible.
 
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