Why do I ejaculate during exams?

Dear Reader, 

Sounds like a sticky situation! Rest assured, you’re certainly not the only one who has ejaculated at inconvenient times. Many conditions can contribute to this, and some of them are associated with stress and anxiety, such as taking exams. Luckily, there are ways to manage pre-test stress and prepare for exams in a way that might help you avoid a mess. Read on to learn more!  

Why might you be ejaculating during a test?  

You may be ejaculating during an exam due to a number of different conditions. Some of them include spontaneous ejaculation, premature ejaculation, or persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD). Some of these are also associated with stress.  

While ejaculation is typically associated with pleasure, people can ejaculate without an orgasm, too. Ejaculation is a complicated process that involves your nervous system talking to various neurotransmitters which then causes the body to release semen. 

What is spontaneous ejaculation?  

Spontaneous ejaculation is ejaculation without any pleasurable sensations. People with penises can ejaculate without orgasm. 

Spontaneous ejaculation has been linked to stress disorders and panic disorders. There's even an instance where spontaneous ejaculation has been linked to stress when taking a test! This might be because the same neurotransmitters responsible for your stress responses are tied to ejaculation. Researchers are still investigating why this link exists. 

What is premature ejaculation?  

Premature ejaculation is when someone ejaculates earlier than they’d like during sexual activity. However, it can also be diagnosed in people who have trouble controlling when they ejaculate. 

Premature ejaculation and anxiety can be linked in a few ways. One example being that someone may find that they ejaculate early with a partner due to feeling stressed or anxious. This may have both emotional and physical components. When stressed, people often tighten their muscles, which is also associated with ejaculation. If you find that you’re tightening your muscles during an exam, this may signal to your body the need to ejaculate.   

What is persistent genital arousal disorder? 

Persistent genital arousal disorder is when someone experiences the sensations of sexual arousal without feeling aroused. PGAD also doesn’t always lead to orgasm, and for many people they experience being aroused without experiencing relief.  

Symptoms of PGAD exist on a wide spectrum. Some people aren’t bothered, while others find it causes distress in their daily life.  

What are things you can do to help manage unwanted orgasm or ejaculation?  

Working with a mental health professional could be helpful in identifying and working through the emotional causes that may be leading to your ejaculations. For example, approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and in some circumstances, medication may be helpful.  

If semen seeping through your underwear onto your pants is a concern, you could wear two pairs of briefs, a sports cup, or even a condom. You might also consider wearing a long top in addition to these other options for extra coverage. Masturbating once or twice shortly before your exams may also be something to try as it gets the ejaculate and possibly the tension out of your system.   

What can you do to manage test-taking stress?  

You mentioned that this happens to you whenever you take an exam, but it doesn’t happen during every exam. It may be worth exploring what function ejaculation may serve in helping you manage test-taking anxiety, and what other options might be available.  

Some questions to consider include:  

• What is it about exams that contribute to your stress? 
• How prepared (or unprepared) do you feel for the exams when ejaculation does occur? How about when it doesn’t occur? 
• How do you manage time constraints or being under pressure? 
• What accommodations may be available to support you during exams? 
• What other methods have you used to successfully manage test-taking stress in the past? How would you define successfully? 
• Who are people who can help you—professors, teachers, school counselors, a mental health professional, a trusted friend or adult, etc.—prepare for the test or manage your stress during?  

Before the test, it may be worth reaching out to a support person to brainstorm how to best prepare for your exam. This could mean making a study guide, working through practice questions and exams, and resting enough before exam day.  

During the test, you could try breaking the exam into smaller parts and tackling one piece at a time. You could also try affirmations and positive self-talk to help ease your mind.  

In addition, speaking with a health care provider may prove beneficial. They could help you better understand what your body is doing, why, and what else you might do to get through future tests ejaculation-free. 

Here’s to a mess-free test!