It’s a Friday night with you and your partner spending the better part of the evening indulging in a few (or several) boozy drinks. Alcohol has gifted you with some newly found confidence, removing your inhibitions and finally getting rid of bedroom jitters. However when the moment comes to take it to the bedroom and finally do the deed, you find it hard to, well, get hard.
So why does having one drink too many cause you to be unable to get and keep an erection?
This is because alcohol is classified as a Central Nervous System (CNS) depressant which can interfere with the brain’s chemical messaging, causing it to slow down and affect your different parts of your body, including your penis. Getting and maintaining an erection requires adequate blood flow, however should you be inebriated with too much alcohol in your system, the body will redirect its energies to processing the alcohol rather than getting and keeping hard.
Combine the inability to get hard with the side effects of alcohol such as difficulties focusing and diminished hand-eye coordination, all of which make for a lacklustre sexual experience, hence the colloquial name of “whiskey dick” coming into play.
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It is difficult to determine how many units of alcohol it takes to trigger “whiskey dick”. This is due to the varying factors that could affect how your body processes alcohol, such as:
These factors also make it hard to determine how long alcohol-related erectile dysfunction will last, as it solely depends on your body’s ability to process and metabolise the alcohol.
While abstaining from alcohol is obviously the best way at preventing the dreaded “whiskey dick”, should you still want to partake in a few cheeky brews, here are some ways to help minimise both intoxication and erectile dysfunction:
Even though it might be embarrassing and awkward when “whiskey dick” rears its head at the worst time and might make you want to flee altogether, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the fun has to stop.
Communicating honestly with your partner and using other techniques that don’t require an erection (such as oral sex and ergoenous play) are good ways to keep the night going.
It is completely understandable that you feel frustrated when your partner is experiencing alcohol-induced erectile dysfunction. However it is important to be understanding and not take whiskey dick personally as it is not a reflection of your partner’s lack of attraction and love towards you. Having trouble getting hard is a natural biological response to having consumed too much alcohol.
Attempts to try and get them hard might make your partner feel worse about the situation. Instead, should both of you be in the mood to continue, let your partner take the lead and experiment with other sex techniques.
Being unable to get hard after drinking a bit too much is a completely natural thing and it shouldn’t be something to worry about for the most part. That said, overindulging in drinks and even partaking in binge drinking that spans years could not only cause whiskey dick to occur more frequently, it can even cause damage to your sexual health. Besides potentially affecting your ability to hold an erection permanently, binge drinking can also cause hormonal imbalances, decrease testosterone levels, lower your libido and cause premature ejaculation.
If you experience difficulties getting an erection when you drink a small amount of alcohol or when sober, experience other sexual dysfunction (like premature ejaculation) or any other concerning symptoms, it is advisable that you consult a doctor. Here at Noah, doctors on our platform are best equipped with the knowledge to help you ascertain the root cause of your erectile dysfunction. They will be able to advise you on the best ED treatment suited for you, and can also prescribe you the right medication should you need it.
Articles featured on Noah are for informational purposes only and should not be constituted as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have any medical questions or concerns, please talk to your healthcare provider. If you're looking for a healthcare provider, click here.
References
George, William H et al. “Alcohol and erectile response: the effects of high dosage in the context of demands to maximize sexual arousal.” Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology vol. 14,4 (2006): 461-70. doi:10.1037/1064-1297.14.4.461 (Link)
