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    Navigate: FAQ Home Page > Male -- Erections > I get an erection every time I'm around my girlfriend
    Posted on: 06/28/2004

    Question

    I am 15 years old. Everytime I am with my girlfriend, which is a lot, not matter what we are doing I get an erection. The thing is, these erections last for hours at a time. It doesn't go down for anything. Is this normal, and if there anything I can do about this?

    Submitted on 06/22/04 at 10:33:07


    Answer

    Is it normal? Yes. As long as the erection is not significantly painful (you might ache after a long erection but it shouldn't be painful) or have sickle cell anemia (something you would know about by 15) it is pretty normal.

    As our body matures a complex system of hormones react with our thoughts and desires to produce a sexual response. For young men it is not uncommon for an immediate and exaggerated response to any perceived (or real) sexual stimulus. For many young men being close to a responsive partner, weather you have sex or not, is a significant sexual stimulation. So, long periods of arousal (erection)is not uncommon.

    Part of the process of sexual maturity is learning about your sexual response and how to manage it. There is a lot that I don't know about your interaction with your girlfriend so any answer to your question is "there anything I can do about" it is general at best.

    I know it sounds simplistic and silly but, thoughts (especially sexual thoughts) are INCREDIBLY powerful. You do have some control over your thoughts and you need to carefully consider how you might be self stimulating. If you and your girlfriend are constantly touching, kissing or otherwise stimulating each other, without ejaculation, this will CERTAINLY cause a prolonged erection.

    In time you will gain better control. In the mean time, be careful about your thoughts, relax, exercise, be thoughtful about what you and your girlfriend are doing together. In order to better control sexual stimulation some young men try self sexual release, a fancy way of saying masturbation. Many religions and cultures think this is wrong and discourage self pleasure or masturbation. This is up to you and your beliefs.

    In the final analysis the more you think and consider, the more you will understand and have some control.

    I hope this helps. Good luck.


    Answered By:
    Steve Johnson , PA-C


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