What happens in our body and mind when we have sex?

What happens in the body and mind when we become sexually aroused?

It is said that we living beings are characterized by being being born, reproducing and dying. As human beings, it is clear that virtually all of our behaviors make sense once we are born and relatively autonomous and that most of them can be understood as strategies to circumvent death. Sex, however, is optional in our lives, in the sense that it is not a vital necessity and it is perfectly possible to go through an entire existence without having sex.

When our body asks us for sex

However, our organism has been designed in such a way that it is more living having sex is more comfortable and easier than not having sex.. Normally, when faced with a dichotomous decision in which we are torn between the possibility of having sex and not having sex, there is something that induces us to choose the first option. It is a mysterious force to which Sigmund Freud gave the name of "libido". libido and which today can be understood from many perspectives. What are these unconscious mechanisms by which our body is predisposed to have sex?

The chemical circuit of sex

Having sex significantly alters the Blood concentration of certain hormones and neurotransmitters, as well as certain activities associated with love, as we saw in this article.

In particular, there is one type of substance whose quantity increases significantly: the endorphins. Endorphins are often associated with pleasurable and relaxing practicesThey are often considered to be a kind of morphine produced by the body itself. However, their quantity also shoots up dramatically during orgasm, which is perhaps why sexual intercourse is often a good way to relieve stress, improve sleep quality and even relieve physical pain. relieve physical pain.. This biological mechanism from which we benefit so much (even without knowing it) acts as a reinforcer to repeat the same situation in the future.

There is another type of substance, the hormone oxytocinwhich, being associated with bonding, may also play an important role in sex. High concentrations of oxytocin in the blood appear during hugs, direct eye contact, kisses and all kinds of culturally modulated expressions of affection. All of these situations have the particularity of being associated with the affectivitybut also to pleasure. And, in fact, oxytocin could be partly responsible for the fact that these expressions of love can give way to other more intimate activities, since it seems that its concentrations are high during sex.

In addition, some researchers believe that the type of self-love of monogamous couples is rooted in the oxytocin released during this type of activity. If expressions of support and affection are frequent and valued for their own sake, it is not surprising that they sometimes taste of little and lead to something more.

Some cultural factors

The motivations that lead to sex may be described in terms of the hormones and neurotransmitters it releases, but that is not all. it doesn't stop there. To talk about these chemical processes is to describe behavior from the inside of the individual to the outside, but we are missing the dynamics that go from the outside to the inside.

All areas of our way of life are steeped in cultural factors. cultural factorsand motivations linked to sex are no exception. Human beings are capable of seeking possible sexual relations not for the immediate pleasure of this activity, but because of the ideas associated with it..

The idea of attractiveness and desirability of a person, for example, are indispensable when talking about sexual attraction and the motivations that guide our sexual behavior. However, these concepts cannot be explained solely from an analysis of the neurotransmitters and hormones associated with sex: their form is strongly influenced by culture. Curiosity about the body of a potential sexual partner, although rooted in unconscious biological processes, also has one of its basic pillars in the social sphere: Hence, some parts of the body are sexualized in some cultures and not in others..

Other examples of motivations carved by culture are:

• An idea of success associated with the possibility of having frequent sex.
• A demonstration of power.
• A concept of fun that includes some sexual fetishes.
• The need to improve self-esteem.
• The search for strong emotional bonds and intimacy.

Of course, these motivations may be more or less appropriate and adaptive depending on the context, independent of the morality from which we start. However, it cannot be denied that there are an infinite number of culturally rooted variables that shape the way we understand sex and the situations in which we experience it. It could not be otherwise, since, fortunately, we neither reproduce nor amuse ourselves in the manner of automatons. And let's keep it that way!