Ejaculatory Anhedonia

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I have phimosis and was unable to retract my foreskin for 18 years. I started masturbating when I was around 12. I ejaculate when I masturbate, but have never had an orgasm. I thought this was because there wasn't enough friction on the glans with the foreskin up over the penis head. I get the impression, though, that people can still get an orgasm while masturbating even with phimosis... so I'm a little worried.

I'm not completely cured of my phimosis yet and my foreskin won't stay behind my penis head if I make the motions to masturbate etc. and I think the bottom of my glans are still too sensitive to masturbate without the hood protecting them...

I've been looking up "Ejaculatory anhedonia"... where you don't orgasm when you ejaculate... and all I've basically learned is that these "web doctors" think I'm a freak and am in desperate need of psychiatric help. I'm hoping that's not actually the case. I'm really tired of having penile disfunctions. Does anyone have any advice to give or something helpful to say? Thanks.

The question I would have for you is what are you expecting an orgasm to be. I question this, because if you are ejaculating I am not sure that you are probably not having an orgasm as well. I have heard of orgasm without ejaculation, but never ejaculation without orgasm.

Maybe some description is in order. For me an orgasm is the feeling of release I get when I ejaculate. The build up of the tension, then the release. The uncontrolled spasms associated with the ejaculation. (I am talking about the spasms that eject the sperm, not anything else here.) Then a nice peaceful feeling that moves throughout my whole body.

Possibly some others can describe theirs as well. I am just thinking that maybe your having a different expectation because of something you have seen or read. Which if your getting it from porn is most likely staged and not real.

Hope this helps.

I agree with longlines. I find it hard to believe that you are ejaculating without an orgasm.

Rather than having no orgasm, I think it's possible to have an orgasm with little or no feeling in it. That has occasionally happened to me when I've been very tired. I don't know what the solution is when it happens all the time.

Trust me guys... a person knows when they have an orgasm and I am NOT having them. At ALL. And, as I said, it's such a rare condition that there is literally NOTHING on the internet about it... it's really upsetting me. I don't really get much of a "pleasurable feeling" when I masturbate, either... like... barely any sensation whatsoever... you'd think it would be the opposite, since my penis head should be super-sensitive... and it is... but not in the right way. Hmm.Thanks for replying, though. I have a few theories... one has to do with this little vein that's on the inside of the tip of my foreskin. It makes the act of masturbation kind of... uncomfortable... so I think that may be hampering things. Also, I've noticed that I have ZERO sex drive. NONE. I'm always reading about how guys think about sex like... every 15 seconds or whatever and for me it's not even REMOTELY that close... and I have never sex dreams or wet dreams or anything like that. My friend thinks I might be lacking sufficient testosterone? I really don't know.

It's certainly unusual. It's really hard to tell whether it's a psychological block, or something physical or biochemical. There are so many possibilities.I know you've had a lot of trouble with a tight foreskin, but apart from that, has your physical puberty development been normal?

I REALLY don't think it's a psychological block... I really really really don't. My puberty development was very normal. That's why I'm not too sure about my friend's theory about me not having sufficient testosterone.I seriously feel like such a freak... I'm like... the only mammal in the world with this problem. I'm so upset that I can't stop thinking about it and it's affecting my appetite so I don't want to eat... and I can't sleep... stuff like that. It's really upsetting. I think that, with this problem, I'll never have a proper relationship with a girl... and then I'll grow to be old, alone, and sexually frustrated and die prematurely.

There's no reason why you shouldn't be able to have a "proper" relationship with a girl. Even if you feel nothing, you can work on making her feel as good as possible. Many, many women do the same sort of thing - many women don't orgasm from intercourse, but they still do it to please the man.You could easily get your testosterone level checked to see if it's normal. But there are other possible non-psychological causes.

"I find it hard to believe that you are ejaculating without an orgasm."People keep telling me this and it's really starting to annoy me. You've got to trust me on this one. There is NO orgasm WHATSOEVER. When I had phimosis... I thought I was the only one but was relieved when I found this site. I thought that perhaps it would be the same case with my new condition... but it appears as though I'm wrong... and that I'm one of the only people (and mammal in general) that has this condition. It makes me very upset."There's no reason why you shouldn't be able to have a "proper" relationship with a girl. Even if you feel nothing, you can work on making her feel as good as possible. Many, many women do the same sort of thing - many women don't orgasm from intercourse, but they still do it to please the man."I was thinking about that. However, the women in those instances still have sex drives and can also masturbate to achieve orgasms. I, on the other hand, can't. I like the idea of pleasing women and all, but I think that my sex life with this hypothetical woman would inevitably dwindle... seeing as how she would be much more interested in the sex than I presumably would. There's still hope, though, I guess. Just need to find the right girl!"But there are other possible non-psychological causes."Please tell me if you can think of any.At school today I saw a poster outlining all of the warning signs of clinical depression and I have all of them... except I'm not suicidal... but I HAVE been thinking about how I'm going to die alone and unhappy a lot. It made me feel worse. I'm feeling better now though... and I've got a doctor's appointment next Thursday. If he doesn't know what to do I'm going to get a lot worse. I'm really thinking of my doctor as my last hope in this matter.I have a question. If someone is unable to retract their foreskin WHATSOEVER and they masturbate... is it possible for them to ejaculate without orgasm, because there is genital stimulation but no pleasurable sensation because of lack of friction on the glands? As a kind of 'learned response' to ejaculate? I think I read somewhere that that can happen. I hope that's the case. I almost always masturbate with the skin up because when it's down it kind of hurts... both because of the uncomfortable placing of that vein on my foreskin and also because of the tightness of my foreskin as it goes over the erect head.If you read all of this, I admire you! Thanks.

People keep telling me this and it's really starting to annoy me.It may annoy you but we can't understand your problem. I really really can't understand how someone can be ejaculating without an orgasm. The other way around perhaps but like you? No.

Well surely you can see why I'm frustrated it's really happening to me and no one has ever heard of it before or will even believe it.

I wonder if it's associated with the depression?

Well remember that I've NEVER had an orgasm... and the depression has only happened the past little while. Oh by the way... the depression mysteriously vanished today. It's nice.

Since I don't understand this problem, I'm curious... what the heck brings you to "ejaculation"? Do you have contractions, spasms, twitching,... whatever? DO you squirt/shoot or does it ooze out? What is the consistency of your semen? I just don't get it. What sensations do you have when you ejaculate?

Ok, I will take you at your word regarding the orgasm then. It was just a thought. I have had discussion with other younger individuals and they expect orgasm to be something really earth shattering everytime. And to be honest, I don't find that to be true.First, I think it probably would be a good idea to visit a doctor and have them check for some physical problem. Emotional issues like depression do have an impact. But some physical items, like diabetes affect nerve action and can be very deterimental to sexual function. As can blood pressure, high cholesterol, over weight, to name just a few. Also, if your on any type of medication, it may also have some type of side effect that could cause problems.One other thing is that you may have to spend some time teaching yourself to feel what your body is doing. I know I really didn't have earth shaking orgasms until my wife convinced me to just lie still and let her caress my body all over, while I specifically concentrated on the feelings going on around my body. This taught me to feel other things more intensly as well. So some "sensitivity" training might be in order. Some you can practice on your self. Others you may need a partner to try out. Possibly got a bud that would be willing to help. Explain the situation and see if he/she can help. It doesn't have to be sexual touching. Just caressing of skin, on face, chest, neck, back, arms, legs, etc. Teach your self to feel these. Use different touches and textures. Also on your own, go out to a remote place where your totally alone, strip naked, lay down in the sun. Feel the wind, sun, rain, air on your body. Concentrate on feeling it. This type of thing.

sdp's question: I'm not quite sure how to answer... after masturbating a while I can feel it coming (pun!)... and then it does... in squirts... the consistency is pretty normal... and the sensation I have while ejaculating is like... a release of tension and then a feeling of "Well... that was okay. So... guess I should do some homework now..."longlines8's statement: I'm not expecting something earth shattering. Just SOMETHING. I have a doctor's appointment this thursday... although I'm kind of getting cold feet. The depression mysteriously vanished and I think that I'm being a little too hard on my sex drive... it's there, I guess... it's not average, I don't think... but it's still there. And this whole mess could possibly just be because of the phimosis... so I wonder if I'm over-reacting by going to the doctor before completely getting rid of the phimosis problem. Oh well... it still can't hurt to go see him.I had a blood test recently and my doctor said everything was absolutely normal. I'm taking one minocycline pill a day for my skin... I think it lists sexual side-effects as a possibility (but then again, what doesn't?) but let's recall that I only started taking these pills recently and I've always had this problem of not orgasming. Yeah I've been working on this "sensitivity training"... it seems kind of awkward and funny to do but... I've got to try something! And thank you very much for your post.

the sensation I have while ejaculating is like... a release of tension and then a feeling of "Well... that was okay. Isn't that an orgasm? What is your concept about what an orgasm should be like?

"What is your concept about what an orgasm should be like?"

Okay here is the grand list of reasons that I'm sure I am NOT having orgasms:

1. I don't even feel anything prior to or during ejaculation. There is no sensation or anything... come on now. There should be SOMETHING.
2. Everyone is always raving about how great orgasms are etc. That's what start this whole mess was my friend going all ballistic about them. He made it sound like I should certainly be feeling SOMETHING...
3. If someone told me I could never masturbate again, I would NOT be that disappointed... because it's not that rewarding at all. It's okay but meh. I could do without.
4. I have had more pleasurable feelings from cramps in my shins and in dreams than I have from ejaculating.
5. I believe I read somewhere that it's physically impossible to have your eyelids open while you orgasm... or maybe I didn't. I don't remember. But... you'll recall that people have their own little "sex faces" they make (without meaning to) when they have an orgasm... whereas I do NOT. I can make any face I want during ejaculation... and I could even carry on a conversation and not even miss a word (I actually tried that once hehe).
6. Another friend of mine said that I should definitely be able to feel SOMETHING if I'm having an orgasm... and that I probably wouldn't be labelling it as "meh".

That's all I can think of for now... but people seriously... let's just trust me on this one okay?

It sounds like you're having a physical orgasm without the mental feelings that usually go with it.

But I don't really feel much physically either is the problem. I swear I almost had one when I was like 13... it was a lil' weak one but still.