Is Viagra Dependency a Thing? What You Need to Know?

If you’re one of the tens of millions of men affected by erectile dysfunction (ED), a common type of sexual dysfunction, you’ve no doubt heard of the medication Viagra®. If you’ve thought of using Viagra — or sildenafil, its active ingredient that’s also sold as a generic version of this medication — you may have worried about long-term dangers of dependency.

Viagra is a PDE5 inhibitor that works by increasing blood flow to the soft erectile tissue found inside your penis. It’s a quick, convenient option for treating ED that’s used by men of all ages, but one of the most common concerns many men have about Viagra is whether or not it’s addictive or habit-forming. 

Put simply, if you start using Viagra to treat ED, is it possible that you could become dependent on it as time goes on? And how much Viagra should you take for safe sexual fun without the risk of forming an addiction?

Below, we’ve answered these questions about whether Viagra is addictive or creates dependency. We’ve also discussed Viagra tolerance and how to avoid problems with it down the road.

Is Viagra Physically Addictive?

Let’s make this clear: Sildenafil — the brand name for Viagra — is not an addictive or habit-forming medication. There is no pharmaceutical ingredient it contains that can make you become dependent on Viagra. However, you could start to rely on Viagra over time for the psychological comfort of knowing you can rely on it to work.

While many medications, prescription or not, can cause or contribute to physical dependence and addiction, Viagra is not among them. Sildenafil citrate (the active ingredient in Viagra) isn’t linked to physical addiction, meaning you won’t develop a physical dependence on it or develop withdrawal symptoms if you stop using it suddenly. Unlike some medications that cause physical dependence, Viagra doesn’t have any direct effect on the reward pathways inside your brain that can potentially trigger physical addiction or cause withdrawal symptoms.

This is also true of other oral medications for ED, such as tadalafil (the active ingredient in Cialis®), vardenafil (the active ingredient in Levitra®) and avanafil (sold as Stendra®). These ED meds, including Viagra, work by inhibiting the enzyme phosphodiesterase type 5, or PDE5, which restricts blood flow into the soft erectile tissues of your penis. By improving blood flow to your penis, medications like Viagra make it easier to get and keep an erection when you’re in the mood for sex.

Currently, there is no scientific evidence that sildenafil, tadalafil or any other medications used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction are physically addictive. The fact is, the vast majority of men who use Viagra for ED do so without developing any type of physical or psychological dependence.

Does Taking Viagra Make You Dependent on It?

While Viagra isn’t physically addictive, people who use it could potentially become psychologically dependent on it for optimal sexual performance. This means that a person can be so used to using the medication that they fear they can’t function normally without it or believe it’s necessary to function normally. In men with moderate or severe ED, it could be true that Viagra is always necessary for an erection. But for men with mild ED or men without ED who use Viagra recreationally, they may psychologically feel like they always need the medication even if they really don’t.

Can Viagra Cause ED?

Viagra is a medication that is FDA-approved to treat ED — it doesn’t typically cause ED. One way it could indirectly cause ED is if you experience a rare side effect called priapism, which is an erection lasting more than four hours that can be damaging to the penis. Untreated priapism can cause physical damage to the penis that might cause ED later on. So if you experience an erection that lasts more than four hours, it’s important to seek medical care immediately.

Can You Build a Tolerance to Viagra?

The question of Viagra tolerance is one that doesn’t get a lot of attention, and in our opinion, that’s because there isn’t much danger — at least not when compared with illicit drugs.

There have been reports of tolerance to Viagra over time, but generally this is not considered to be common. It’s possible that any “tolerance” actually reflects a progression of the original cause(s) of erectile dysfunction and a worsening severity of ED that might require a higher dose of Viagra for treatment.

How to Avoid Viagra Dependency

The most effective way to avoid Viagra dependency is to follow the instructions provided by your healthcare provider and use Viagra or similar medications as recommended. When it’s used as prescribed, Viagra is a safe, effective and reliable medication, with little possibility that you could become dependent on Viagra.

Still worried over the question, 'if I take Viagra will I always need it'? Here are some general guidelines to follow (please don’t use this for tips on how to do it wrong):

• Only use Viagra at the prescribed dose. Viagra comes in several different dosages, from 25mg to 100mg. The recommended starting dose is 50mg. Make sure to use the medication as prescribed by your healthcare provider. If you don’t experience any improvements from Viagra, or if you develop side effects at your prescribed dosage, talk to your healthcare provider about adjusting your dose.

• Set realistic sexual performance expectations. You may face a greater risk of becoming psychologically dependent on Viagra if you create unrealistic expectations for yourself in bed, such as being able to always get a firm, lasting erection. It’s always best to communicate clearly with your partner so that both of you are on the same page, without any pressure or anxiety.

• Only use Viagra if you think you need it. If you’re prescribed Viagra, you don’t necessarily need to take it every time you have sex. Try only taking Viagra or other ED drugs when you feel anxious or concerned about your sexual performance.

• Limit the amount of porn you watch. Watching porn may negatively affect your sexual performance and affect your expectations from sex. In some cases, it may even result in a form of ED referred to as porn-induced erectile dysfunction. If you find it difficult to get and maintain an erection with your partner but you’re able to get hard while watching porn, try to limit the amount of pornography you watch.

• Consider other treatment options for ED. Viagra is a highly effective treatment for ED, but it’s not the only treatment option available. Other options for managing ED include psychotherapy, pelvic floor exercises, vacuum constriction devices and surgical procedures. Used on their own or in combination with Viagra, other interventions can help you improve your erections and avoid relying solely on medication.

Is Viagra Addictive? The Verdict

Generally speaking, Viagra is not an addictive medication. When it’s used with a prescription at a normal dose, Viagra dependence isn’t something that you’ll typically need to worry about. Instead, focus on keeping the following takeaways in mind as you navigate through the world of safe Viagra use:

• Erectile dysfunction is a very common issue that can affect men of all ages.

• Viagra and similar medications treat ED by increasing blood flow to your penis.

• There’s also no scientific evidence that Viagra and other ED medications can cause withdrawal symptoms if you stop using them abruptly.

• Although Viagra may become psychologically addictive, there’s no evidence that using Viagra can lead to physical dependence or addiction.

If you think you have erectile dysfunction, help is available. We offer several FDA-approved ED medications online, including Viagra (and its generic sildenafil) and chewable ED medication, all of which are available following a consultation with a healthcare provider who will determine if a prescription is appropriate.

You can also learn more about treating ED in our guide to the most common erectile dysfunction treatments and drugs.