Topics: Adult Industry, Entertainment, Sex and Relationships, US News, YouTube
A male porn star has revealed some of the tips and tricks he used to overcome performance anxiety while on set.
This can be an issue for many performers and is one of the biggest criteria when it comes to adult entertainment.
It seem easy, but it's quite different from being able to maintain an erection in the privacy of one's own home.
After all, you're there with multiple cameras pointing at you, not to mention the glare of studio lights and a film crew who are all relying on your ability to get it up.
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No pressure.
Fittingly-named pornstar Erik Everhard is one of those who is able to consistently do this, and has built up more than 20 years of experience in the porn industry.
So if anyone is in a position to talk about performing under pressure, he would be one of them.
Everhard now works in advising men who struggle with this sort of issue, among many other things bedroom-related.
Living up to his stage name, Everhard claims to have been able to get an erection on command, including even after getting into an argument with someone on set.
Everhard also says that he has never taken any drugs such as viagra as a performance enhancer.
Explaining how he managed to be able to summon an erection on command, he said that when he started out in the porn industry in 1998 aged 21, drugs like viagra were not in wide use and performers had the confidence that they could maintain an erection.
But he explained that he thought having that 'safety net' of viagra had been detrimental, saying in an interview with certified sexologist Taylor Johnson: "Everyone wants the quick fix, and saying I've got the anxiety, let me just take a whole bunch of pharmacological drugs and life can be okay."
He added: "Those don't still solve the problem. I've seen a guy take so much viagra he looked like his head was going to explode, and he's woodless."
Explaining the best way he thinks people can overcome this, he said: "You still have to be able to overcome your anxiety."
He also described the drugs as just 'masking a problem'.
The pornstar went on to describe how the best way for him was to make sure he could think things through, and to have certainty that he would be able to get an erection.
He explained: "The two worst words are 'I hope'," adding: "You are presupposing that things are going to go bad. Hope doesn't help you, we need to have certainty."
So, believe in yourself, and don't blame yourself if things don't go well because it could be any number of factors.
