Performance anxiety · Confidential · Specialist Urologist-led clinic
Sexual Performance Anxiety: Assessment & Support
Assessment and support for sexual performance anxiety — including checking whether a physical problem started the cycle in the first place. Anxiety and erectile difficulties feed each other, so both are looked at together: the medical side through Men’s Health and erectile dysfunction assessment, the psychological side through psychology & therapy.
Sexual performance anxiety consultation from £180
Educational information — not a substitute for clinical assessment
This page describes sexual performance anxiety in general terms to help you decide whether an assessment may be useful. It is not a diagnosis and does not promise a particular result. Suitability, the number of sessions and whether treatment is appropriate at all are decided at consultation. Outcomes vary between individuals and treatment is not suitable for everyone.
Why people come to us about this.
Performance anxiety usually starts with a single difficult experience. Worry about it happening again makes it more likely, and a cycle establishes itself. Breaking that cycle usually means addressing both the anxiety and whatever started it.
What this condition actually is.
Sexual performance anxiety is anxiety about sexual performance that itself interferes with performance. It is self-reinforcing.
It is frequently triggered by an initial physical problem — a one-off difficulty caused by alcohol, tiredness or stress — which then becomes a pattern maintained by worry.
Assessing it properly means asking whether a physical contributor is still present, not assuming the problem is now purely psychological.
Book: Sexual performance anxiety: assessment & support
Sexual performance anxiety consultation — from £180.
What you might be noticing.
- Difficulty that is worse with a new partner or in new situations
- Normal erections when alone but difficulty with a partner
- Preoccupation with performance during sex
- Anticipatory anxiety before sexual activity
- Avoidance of situations that might lead to sex
- Rapid ejaculation driven by anxiety
- Physical anxiety symptoms — racing heart, sweating, tension
What tends to cause it.
- An initial episode of difficulty, often with an ordinary explanation
- Fear of repetition, which raises arousal in the wrong system
- Unrealistic expectations, often shaped by pornography
- Relationship anxiety or fear of a partner's reaction
- Generalised anxiety or depression
- An underlying physical cause that has not been identified
- Alcohol or recreational drug use
How treatment helps.
Assessment first establishes whether a physical contributor is present. Retained night-time and solo erections point away from a physical cause; their absence points towards one.
Where the problem is primarily anxiety, psychological approaches are more effective than physical treatment.
In many men both are present, and both need attention.
How we help with performance anxiety.
- Rule out or treat a physical trigger — an episode of erectile difficulty with a medical cause often starts the anxiety cycle; it is assessed properly.
- Psychosexual and psychological support — talking therapy and practical techniques to break the anticipation-failure loop and rebuild sexual confidence.
- Treat coexisting erectile dysfunction where present, so the body is not adding to the worry.
Shockwave therapy is not a treatment for anxiety (read why) and is not part of managing performance anxiety itself. Related: erectile dysfunction · psychosexual difficulties · psychology & therapy · Men’s Health.
What an assessment can offer.
Access to both physical investigation and consultation in one clinic
Treatment aimed at the cycle rather than only the symptom
Confidential and unhurried
Referral to specialist psychosexual therapy where that is the right route
What to expect at your appointment.
A calm, professional and supportive experience.
- 1
Consultation (Step 1)
A confidential consultation covering when the difficulty started and how it varies by situation.
- 2
Examination (Step 2)
Specific questions about night-time and solo erections, which help distinguish physical from psychological.
- 3
Investigations (Step 3)
Examination and blood tests where a physical cause is suspected.
- 4
Treatment plan (Step 4)
A shared explanation of what is maintaining the cycle.
- 5
Follow-up (Step 5)
A plan addressing both components where both are present.
Transparent pricing
Clear fees with no hidden costs — from our published price list.
- Sexual performance anxiety consultationfrom £180
- Psychosexual consultationfrom £180
- Sexual health & relationships consultationfrom £180
- Shockwave — low libido & sexual wellnessPer sessionfrom £180 / session
Break the performance-anxiety cycle.
Medical check plus psychosexual support, in one confidential place.
Sexual performance anxiety consultationfrom £180Book a confidential consultation View fees Call 020 7916 0029
Before you book.
Referral
No GP referral needed. You can book directly.
First appointment
An assessment with Dr Kishore Bahl, Specialist Urologist. Treatment follows only if the assessment supports it.
Where
Whitechapel, East London. Whitechapel station is on the Elizabeth line, District, Hammersmith & City and Overground.
Fees
Published in full on our price list.
Privacy
Consultations are private and confidential. You are entitled to a chaperone at any appointment, at no cost.
How we assess and treat
- 1
Assessment
A detailed consultation, medical history and examination where appropriate.
- 2
Investigate
Relevant blood tests, imaging or further investigation where clinically required.
- 3
Explanation
A clear explanation of the likely cause and the treatment options available.
- 4
Treatment plan
A personalised plan — medication, lifestyle advice, procedures, shockwave or follow-up, depending on the diagnosis.
Meet your clinician
Your Specialist Urologist
Assessment and treatment are led by Dr Kishore Bahl, Specialist Urologist — no GP referral needed.
Dr Kishore Bahl
Specialist UrologistGMC-registered Specialist Urologist with over 30 years of medical experience, leading specialist urology and men’s health assessment and focal shockwave therapy. English & Hindi.
Questions people usually ask.
How do I know if it is physical or psychological?
Situational variation and retained night-time erections suggest a psychological component. Their absence suggests physical. Assessment establishes this properly.
Will tablets fix it?
They can break the cycle by restoring confidence, but they do not address the anxiety itself. That is discussed at assessment.
Is shockwave the answer?
Only where there is a vascular contributor. For purely psychological performance anxiety, it is not the right treatment.
Does it get better on its own?
Sometimes, particularly in a supportive relationship. It commonly does not, because worry maintains it.
Should I tell my partner?
Most men find it helps considerably. We can discuss how.
Do I need a GP referral?
No. You can book directly with us.
Is everything confidential?
Yes. Consultations are private and your records are kept in line with UK data protection law. Nothing is shared with your GP, employer or partner without your consent.
How soon can I be seen?
Appointments are usually available within the same week, and we are open 7 days a week, 9am–7pm. Call 020 7916 0029 for the earliest slot.
Where is the clinic?
97–99 Whitechapel Road, London E1 1DT — a few minutes’ walk from Aldgate East and Whitechapel stations, and easy to reach from the City, Canary Wharf, Shoreditch, Bethnal Green, Bow and Stratford.
Related treatments.
A range of specialist men’s health services under one roof.
Psychosexual ConsultationConfidential consultation for sexual difficulties where psychological and relationship factors are involved &a…Learn more →
Shockwave Therapy for Erectile DysfunctionNon-invasive, drug-free focal shockwave therapy for erectile dysfunction of vascular origin — offered after as…from £250 per sessionLearn more →
Premature EjaculationConfidential assessment and treatment for premature ejaculation, covering physical, psychological and relation…from £180 per sessionLearn more →
Low Libido & Sexual WellnessAssessment of reduced sexual desire that looks for a cause rather than assuming one — hormonal, psyc…from £180 per sessionLearn more →
Conditions we see & patient information
Doctor-reviewed guides from our Health Insights library, with private assessment at our Whitechapel clinic in East London.
Men’s health · Whitechapel, East London
Speak to a specialist.
Speak to Dr Kishore Bahl, Specialist Urologist, about whether this treatment is appropriate for you.
Sexual performance anxiety consultationfrom £180
. No GP referral needed. Open 7 days, 9am–7pm.
Men’s health · East London
Men’s Health Clinic in London — Whitechapel, the City & Canary Wharf
Our men’s health clinic at 97–99 Whitechapel Road, E1 cares for patients from across London and the Docklands — including Aldgate, the City, Bethnal Green, Bow, Shoreditch, Canary Wharf, Stratford and Bermondsey — a few minutes’ walk from Aldgate East and Whitechapel stations.
- Same-day appointments
- Private & discreet care
- Easy access in East London
No GP referral needed. View full prices.