All these scenarios are associated with erectile dysfunction symptoms. The male anatomy involved in sexual arousal, is a complex system. It involves the brain, hormones, emotions and any kind of malfunctions in any of these systems can harm the delicate balance between their working and cause erectile dysfunction. Factors that are responsible for causing Erectile Dysfunction do not necessarily have to bear a psychological nature. There are causes which may have their source in certain medical conditions and side-effects of medications. Erectile dysfunction in young men and men falling in any age group may be caused by heart diseases, atherosclerosis (a stage of arteriosclerosis involving fatty deposits (atheroma) inside the arterial walls, thus, narrowing the arteries), high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and sometimes metabolic syndrome. Apart from these, erectile dysfunction in young men (and others) may also be the outcome of the usage of certain medications, tobacco, alcohol or drug abuse, Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis.

As mentioned earlier, thoughts and emotions (psychological factors) are the major elements in getting an erection. Younger males often undergo erectile problems due to anxiety which involves nervousness about indulging in sex for the first time or inexperience. It also involves fear or anxiety of causing a pregnancy or sometimes even using a condom. It has been surveyed among young men, that after they try to put on the condom, they somehow lose their erection.