Premature Ejaculation Hypnosis: Does it Work?

“You’re getting sleeeeepyyy. You’re going to last longer in beeeddd.”

Believe it or not, hypnosis — yep, that thing where a swinging pocket watch puts you into a trance (okay, that’s not quite how it usually happens) — might be a treatment option for premature ejaculation (PE).

But before you rush to book a hypnosis session, we’ve got to make it clear that there’s really not a lot of research behind hypnosis for premature ejaculation. So, while it could help your sex life, it also could be a waste of time.

Below, we’ve covered what exactly premature ejaculation hypnosis is, the science we have on it and what other treatment options are available for PE.

Put plainly, premature ejaculation hypnosis is a type of hypnosis designed to treat premature ejaculation, also known as early ejaculation or rapid ejaculation.

You’ve probably got an idea of what hypnosis is, although it’s not just used to make you do a silly dance or think you’re a chicken in front of an audience.

Rather, it can be seen as a meditative state, and it is sometimes used in holistic healthcare too.

Proponents of hypnosis allege that, when hypnotized, your attention turns inward and focuses on feelings and imagery. When you’re in this state, a hypnotherapist might guide you with verbal suggestions or visuals to achieve a certain goal. This could include easing anxiety, reducing pain or helping you quit smoking.

Hypnosis may allow you to access thoughts, memories and feelings that are difficult to access without overwhelming emotions. When it comes to PE, that could include memories of sexual abuse or another type of traumatic sexual experience.

This technique can be used in a few different ways. It may treat PE symptoms directly, help boost self-esteem or be used alongside other treatments to attack the problem from multiple angles.

While hypnosis is often guided by a professional, they might also teach you self-hypnosis. This will allow you to enter a hypnotic state by yourself and use imagery and suggestions to ease symptoms or improve your condition.

Unfortunately, there isn’t much research into hypnosis for premature ejaculation.

Research from way back in the ‘80s (our apologies, but there’s not much out there) found that hypnosis can be used in sex therapy to:

• Diagnose sexual dysfunction problems

• Treat symptoms directly

• Improve self-confidence

• Treat symptoms alongside other behavioral therapy treatments

• Help resolve neurotic conflicts

The research also noted that while the data supporting hypnosis is promising, case reports on hypnosis for sexual dysfunction usually fail to include information about patients, their symptoms and the hypnotic procedures that were done.

In short, more research is needed. But not much has been done in the past 40-odd years.

One piece of research in that time was a 2021 narrative review that highlighted hypnotherapy as a way to improve ejaculatory control. It was listed alongside similar-ish treatments like relaxation and meditation.

What we do know at this point is that hypnosis is sometimes used to reduce anxiety and anxiety is linked to premature ejaculation. So it’s not too far-fetched that premature ejaculation hypnosis could work.

Research from 2014 found that anxiety, particularly sexual performance anxiety, is linked to acquired PE. That’s PE that develops after a period of normal ejaculations, as opposed to lifelong PE, which is present from your first sexual experience.

The research also stated that pharmacologic or psychological interventions aimed at lowering performance anxiety may help those with acquired PE. It doesn’t mention hypnosis specifically, but this could feasibly be a treatment option if it helps your performance anxiety or sexual confidence.

Research from 2011 found that men with PE often have poor self-esteem — another problem hypnosis could target.

Here’s the final verdict: hypnosis could help cure premature ejaculation, but there’s not much evidence backing it up.

Luckily, there are plenty of other premature ejaculation treatments that are backed by science and can be used instead of, or alongside, hypnosis.

If you want to last longer in bed and improve your sexual performance, there’s a long list of premature ejaculation treatments you can try.

These treatments are backed by plenty of research and data, but they each come with a few pros and cons.

Here are your options.

Physical Techniques

Don’t knock ‘em until you try them. Physical techniques aren’t necessarily a long-term fix and they do require some self-control and practice, but they can help with premature ejaculation problems.

They include:

• The start-stop technique. When you feel like you’re going to climax, pause your sex session, wait until the urge to ejaculate passes and then get back to it. Over time, you’ll learn to recognize when you’re about to climax, so you can stop in time.

• The squeeze technique. The squeeze technique is exactly what it sounds like. Right before you’re going to orgasm, try squeezing the tip of your penis with your index finger and thumb for 30 seconds. This lowers arousal and could prolong your session. Just be sure to tell your partner you’re going to try this one out beforehand.

• Kegels or pelvic floor exercises. Kegels aren’t just for the ladies. Research shows 12 weeks of pelvic floor rehab can help some men with lifelong PE gain control of their ejaculatory reflex.

• Distract yourself. Your partner might not always love this method — depending on what you’re thinking about — but distracting yourself during sex may help you last longer. Just be sure not to think of anything too unsexy, as you might trigger the opposite problem and lose your erection.

• Use a condom. A condom can make your penis less sensitive, so using one during sex might buy you some more time.

• Masturbate before sex. Hot date coming up? Try masturbating a few hours beforehand. This might help you last longer if you have sex later that day.

• Talk to your partner. We know it can feel embarrassing, but if you’re in a relationship, talking to your partner about PE can take some of the pressure off. You can also brainstorm solutions on how to have better sex together.

Medication

If you’re looking for a pharmaceutical treatment instead, you can try one of these medications for PE, which include:

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These antidepressants, such as sertraline (generic Zoloft®) and paroxetine (generic Paxil®), can be prescribed off-label to help with PE.  

• Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5 inhibitors). This type of medication is often used for erectile dysfunction, but can be used to treat PE as well. Examples include Viagra® (sildenafil) and Cialis® (tadalafil).

• Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs). Another type of antidepressant that can be used off-label for PE, TCAs include medications such as Anafranil® (clomipramine).

The downside of medication for PE is that it can come with side effects, including nausea, insomnia, anxiety, loss of libido and erectile dysfunction — as if your penis doesn’t have enough to worry about.

Therapy

Good ol’ therapy can help you have longer-lasting sex. It can help address any psychological causes of PE like anxiety, depression, low self-esteem or relationship problems. Therapy can also be useful to help manage the distress that often comes with PE.

Research shows that there’s a close relationship between depression and PE. So treating depression — whether that’s with medication or therapy — may help improve your sexual problems too. Reach out to a healthcare provider if you’re experiencing mental health problems.

You can try:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy

• Sex therapy

• Couples therapy

You can access these different forms of therapy face-to-face, in a group setting or online.

The cons? Therapy can be an effective treatment for PE, but it can be time-consuming and expensive.

Topical PE Treatments

Grabbing a PE wipe or spray might not help set the mood, but topical treatments can reduce penis sensitivity and delay ejaculation.

Treatments include:

• Anesthetic creams

• Delay sprays

• Wipes (like our Clockstopper benzocaine wipes)

In most cases, you simply rub, spray or wipe these products onto your penis, wait for them to kick in and then get to having sex — hopefully enjoying it for a longer period of time before ejaculation.

Easy enough, but there are a couple cons. First, topical treatments can be a hassle to use every time you want to have sex. They can cause a loss of sensation in the penis.

Pro tip if you’re having penis-in-vagina sex: use a condom to prevent numbness in your partner’s vagina.

Trying to reduce PE through hypnosis? Here’s what you need to know before you try it:

• There’s not much research into hypnotherapy for premature ejaculation. While it could help reduce anxiety and boost self-esteem — both of which are linked to PE — there’s not much solid evidence that hypnosis works for PE. More studies need to be done.

• There are other evidence-backed PE treatments out there. You can skip hypnosis altogether or try a science-backed PE treatment alongside it. Treatments include physical techniques, medications, therapy and topical products.

• Reach out for medical advice no matter what you decide. Knowing the cause of your PE will help you find the best treatment to help you overcome premature ejaculation. A healthcare provider can help you figure out both of these things.

We mean no disrespect to the hypnotherapists out there. We’re just here to share the scientific evidence. But, unfortunately, there isn’t much to share when it comes to premature ejaculation hypnotherapy.

Don’t let that stop you from booking a premature ejaculation hypnosis session if it interests you. But know that there are other treatments out there with more evidence behind them.

To learn more, check out our guide to how to stop premature ejaculation or connect with one of our licensed healthcare providers online for personalized advice.