by Gary Cain

Created on: March 16, 2009   Last Updated: March 23, 2009

Been there, done that. Admit it, men. Premature ejaculation (PE). It's happened to nearly all of us. Only most of us are too embarrassed or ashamed to talk about it. We don't, however, have to take it lying down. Men's sexuality experts, medical professionals, and the pharmaceutical industry are out there, well aware of this predicament, and they do have a few tricks to offer. Premature ejaculation can be overcome.

PE Definition

First, a definition, from the International Society For Sexual Medicine: "Premature ejaculation is a male sexual dysfunction characterized by ejaculation which always or nearly always occurs prior to or within about one minute of vaginal penetration; and, inability to delay ejaculation on all or nearly all vaginal penetrations; and, negative personal consequences, such as distress, bother, frustration, and/or the avoidance of sexual intimacy." While PE is not a serious physical ailment like a heart attack or arthritis, it can lead to serious psychological issues, such as depression and anxiety. Many men report shame, embarrassment, and anger at not being able to last long enough during intercourse to please their partners. In some cases, PE has led to relationship breakup and divorce.

PE Causes

So what causes PE? Like many physical issues, it's extremely complicated and not fully understood. For starters, there may be a Darwinian "survival of the fittest" component; the prehistoric males who ejaculated quickly after starting intercourse were more likely to pass on their genes than those who took longer (and were more likely to be interrupted or attacked by a competitor). Sexually unsatisfied ladies can blame Darwin for their man's rapid discharge.

PE may be due to any number of male psychological issues. PE can go all the way back to when men typically first discovered the pleasure of ejaculation-teenage masturbation. Frequently at that age, fear of being caught in the act led to masturbating extremely quickly to avoid detection. Or, like a drug addict searching for a quick high, guys pleasured themselves in a frenzy just to speed up the mental rush during orgasm. Thus, for some men, rapid ejaculation, and subsequently PE during intercourse, was a learned behavior.

PE can also be due to more generalized psychological problems, such as high levels of stress or anxiety. Sometimes these conditions are directly connected to sexual performance, like worrying about pleasing their partner. Stress and anxiety from other sources, like the workplace,

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