Overcoming Anxiety for Greater Enjoyment & Closer Connections

Get the eBook: Get Out of Your Head: A Practical Guide for Men To Overcome Performance Anxiety

Sexual performance anxiety is a challenge that many people face but few feel comfortable talking about. At Rhode Island Sex Therapy, we provide a supportive and shame-free space where individuals and couples can address sexual performance anxiety concerns, rebuild confidence, and reconnect with intimacy. With the right guidance, therapy can help ease the stress, worry, and pressure that interfere with sexual enjoyment, allowing clients to feel more present, secure, and fulfilled in their intimate lives.

Recognizing the Impact of Sexual Performance Anxiety

Anxiety can rear its ugly head at the worst times. For many, sex and intimacy can trigger overwhelming feelings of worry and fear. This can lead to numerous physical and emotional symptoms, negatively impact romantic relationships, and prevent people from enjoying and engaging in satisfying sex.

If this sounds familiar, you may be dealing with sexual performance anxiety. This is a common struggle for men and women who experience disordered levels of anxiety in other aspects of their lives. It’s also common for those who have other mood disorders like depression.

Just like mood disorders in other aspects of life, sexual performance anxiety can be diminished with effective treatment. One of the best options to decrease the effects of performance anxiety is working with a licensed sex therapist.

At Rhode Island Sex Therapy, Dr. Michael Stokes is an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist and Rhode Island Licensed Mental Health Counselor. He works regularly with individuals who are facing a wide range of sexual challenges or issues preventing full enjoyment of sexual partnerships. Keep reading to learn more about how therapy can help with sexual performance anxiety or reach out to Rhode Island Sex Therapy to get started.

Signs & Symptoms of Sexual Performance Anxiety

Many people think erectile dysfunction and sexual performance anxiety are one in the same. While they are often coexisting conditions, they are not necessarily the same thing.

For one, both men and women can experience sexual performance anxiety with different symptoms. In men, performance anxiety does often result in erectile dysfunction as well premature or delayed ejaculation, but the underlying cause is usually a worry or anxiety about the ability to satisfy their partner. In women, these fears may result in difficulty taking pleasure in sexual acts as well as vaginal dryness or pain during sexual penetration.

Some other common signs and symptoms of sexual performance anxiety include:

• Trouble staying present during intimacy
• Racing thoughts or excessive worry before or during sex
• Avoiding intimacy altogether
• Physical tension, rapid heartbeat, or sweating
• Low sexual desire linked to fear of failure

What Causes Sexual Performance Anxiety?

Performance anxiety often develops from a mix of personal, relational, and emotional factors. Common causes include:

• Early negative or shaming sexual experiences
• Low self-esteem or negative body image
• Relationship struggles, including conflict or lack of trust
• Fear of rejection or judgment from a partner
• General life stress, anxiety, or mood disorders that spill into sexual experiences

By addressing both the root causes and the symptoms, therapy can help reduce sexual performance anxiety and foster healthier, more fulfilling intimacy.

Can Therapy for Sexual Performance Anxiety Really Make a Difference?

If you are struggling with sexual performance anxiety, individual therapy sessions or couples counseling with sexual partners can help to alleviate the effects of this condition. Like other forms of general anxiety and performance anxiety, sexual performance anxiety often improves with therapy. It help individuals recognize unwanted and intrusive thoughts and emotions, address them, and take steps to change these thoughts and feelings and the way they impact behaviors.

What Happens During Performance Anxiety Therapy?

Therapy for sexual performance anxiety takes place in a supportive, shame-free space where clients can feel comfortable opening up. Sessions often begin with education about how anxiety affects sexual function and intimacy, helping clients understand what’s happening in their mind and body.

From there, a therapist may use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). This helps to shift unhelpful thought patterns or introduce mindfulness techniques to quiet racing thoughts and stay present in the moment. For couples, therapy for sexual performance anxiety can also focus on building communication skills, so partners feel confident expressing needs, boundaries, and desires openly.

In addition, clients may explore their personal sexual values and attitudes, creating space to connect intimacy with their authentic selves. Every treatment plan is personalized. So whether someone is seeking support individually or as part of a couple, therapy for sexual performance anxiety is designed to meet them exactly where they are and guide them toward greater confidence, connection, and enjoyment in their intimate life.

How Do I Get Started With Therapy for Performance Anxiety?

Dealing with sexual performance anxiety is enough to worry about, so scheduling your therapy session shouldn’t be difficult. In fact, we make it easy to schedule a session with Rhode Island Sex Therapy. Whenever you’re ready, you can call (401) 236-5021, email DrMichaelStokes@gmail.com, or use our contact form. However you feel comfortable reaching out, we look forward to speaking with you soon.