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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

New partner so nervous

32 replies

Aloneinmanchester · 06/08/2022 12:07

I have been seeing this lovely guy for three months. We took things quite slow to begin with and didn’t kiss until we’d been seeing each other for about 6 weeks so I knew that he wasn’t your typical guy trying to get in my pants asap. I’m really attracted to him and he’s so kind and attentive. We have tried to have sex a few times now but he gets really nervous and self-conscious and can’t get an erection or if he does get one, he then loses it before he can come. I’m gutted for him and just want him to enjoy it. Does anyone have any experience of this or tips? I have said to him that we can slow things down until he feels more ready but I think he still feels that he needs to try to impress me. I am willing to work through whatever the issue is - I just don’t want to make it worse or put pressure on him. We are both mid-30s.

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Aloneinmanchester · 07/08/2022 12:02

firsttimemom99 · 07/08/2022 11:41

Its so sweet to read this because it sounds like he’s such a sensitive guy! I’d say if you’ve waited 6 weeks before kissing, sex definitely doesn’t have to be something that’s necessary for you guys to stay getting to know each other. I would really appreciate somebody not being all about sex from the get go, despite the fact that it is based on feeling anxious etc. You obviously care about him enough to respect what he’s going through so I’d say just be patient and continue to enjoy your relationship. Good luck!

Thank you! Fingers crossed.

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peeekaboo · 10/08/2022 10:38

Hi, I lurk here but rarely post but my partner and I had this problem. I'll just let him type since he doesn't give a shit about my account anyway haha.

Hey, you sound lovely and so understanding. First of all, he's told you the exact reason and its nothing you need to read into any more - performance anxiety (some of the replies here are mental, jesus). Its absolutely not personal or anything to do with you, he obviously really cares about you which is sort of a vicious cycle that can make it worse! I'll tell you what helped for me/us, maybe some of it resonates with your partner. Also I think its very positive that he's up front about it all, that in and of itself is a really good sign that you can work together to fix it!

Firstly, lol at the porn hysteria, though there is some truth in that. This could be harder to broach than the other stuff, but giving up porn completely definitely helped with my sex drive and sensitivity, and can help to break the avoidant cycle. But you don't want to be all 'this is happening just cause you watch porn lol' though I can tell you're not like that at all anyway.

So I think someone else mentioned it but if he's on medication for anxiety or depression like SSRIs, they can really affect erections and sensitivity. Even if he isn't, it brings me to my next suggestion that if he is a bit of an anxious fella in general, look into requesting propanolol for him from the docs. Its non addictive so docs don't mind prescribing it, and essentially whilst (at least in my case) it doesn't stop the mental anxiety, it was fucking amazing at stopping the physical manifestations of it. Surgeons use it to smooth out tremors during surgery and people take it for public speaking etc. Its very good at not letting your nervousness and adrenaline run away with you, which could help perhaps?

Apart from this, my own main issue was that I was always concerned with my partners pleasure, which sounds great but you put so much pressure on yourself (and your partner) that the problems you describe happen. This is very hard to break, and I still get a massive anxiety rush in between just foreplay and once sex is about to happen. What helped massively was just being naked and playing together a lot, with something else on in the background like a movie or whatever. No pressure, no goal, just enjoying each other like that. So its up to you if you want to say (but politer than this lol) 'ok no sex, but lets play for a while' and just see where that leads.

TMI warning ahead I guess ....

Leading on from that, I found sex toys a big help. Again, its partner dependent, he seems nice but obviously be sensitive about the fact its not a case of 'well you're never gonna get me off so here's my colleague Kenneth (peep show reference, sorry) to do the job' but its a 'baby im gonna use my vibrator while you have fun with me and just do whatever you want and feels good because I feel good too' type thing. Just breaking the mental barrier of me feeling like im completely responsible for her pleasure helped a lot. Likewise there's a 'bored and ignored' fetish type thing where the woman does something menial like read a book or watch a movie while the man has his way with her, which obviously sounds like most men's stereotypical dream but if you understand the psychology of removing the pressure to perform its not as terrible/degrading as it sounds and maybe it would help also.

You could also try the tactic that is recommended for men (and sorry if this sounds a bit clinical lol) with delayed ejaculation, where you masturbate together to climax, then once that is achieved you masturbate him to climax, then masturbate a little and let him finish inside you and work it up until normal sex.

Anyway, I guess it sounds like a lot of work, but I think the positive side is that this guy obviously gives a fuck about your pleasure so whilst its detrimental at present if you can get past this stage which I and other users in this thread have said is completely possible, you can look forward to a very exciting and open sex life since you already have great communication and a sex life built on trust and maturity.

Aloneinmanchester · 10/08/2022 17:06

Oh wow, thank you for that insight from your DP. I’m really grateful. I think it’s great to hear from guys who have been through it because it seems that women’s reaction is often the porn thing (or that he’s gay/asexual 😂). I totally think it’s anxiety and as I said, it’s not just in the bedroom.

The tips about medication and toys are really helpful and lol at the Kenneth reference.

I saw him yesterday and made clear that we should take intercourse off the table for now and just focus on getting to know one another. The relief he felt was quite obvious and he said that he had been worrying beforehand about how things would go this time. Instead we just kissed and stroked each other for a couple of hours and the difference in his technique when he was more relaxed was really clear. It was much slower and more intense than before. I’m just hoping that things will continue to go in the right direction and that he will continue to feel comfortable and not like he needs to impress me. It’s not even like I tend to orgasm from intercourse anyway but obviously I want him to experience pleasure too, so it would be good if we can eventually build up to that.

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Aloneinmanchester · 25/08/2022 12:19

Just to update those who replied to this - all is now fine! It really was just a case of initial nerves and when the pressure was taken off and he was able to relax, it all worked okay. I’m very very happy and he’s such an amazing person.

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YRGAM · 25/08/2022 13:31

That's great!

Mumsnet is rife with posters who come in shouting about porn addictions before they've had time to even read the full post. In almost all cases they should be heartily ignored and know nothing about male sexual psychology (which is what almost all ED is related to)

OldFan · 25/08/2022 13:36

Glad to hear it.

You say he seemed anxious at other times too- is he able to work and stuff?

Aloneinmanchester · 25/08/2022 14:56

Yeah he has a good job but doesn’t like presentations and stuff and he gets a bit shy meeting new people and doesn’t like small talk. But he’s able to live a normal life.
He’s definitely not a porn addict either! Once he knew that I didn’t expect intercourse from him, he relaxed a lot more and we gradually built up to it over a few weeks. I’m sure there are porn addicts out there who can’t perform because of it but thankfully he’s not one of them (phew).

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