The Chemistry of Sex Drive: It's All in Your Head (and in Your Drugs)

smoothnsilky's Avatar
http://www.health.com/health/conditi...188413,00.html

Scientists are just starting to understand the way that sex drive can be influenced by certain neurotransmitters—chemicals in the brain—mostly by observing our reactions to drugs that are intended to treat other conditions.

The most obvious example is what happens to many patients who take selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a class of antidepressants: Their libidos shut down. SSRIs increase brain levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which helps regulate mood, but the drugs have also become notorious for dampening sex drive.

Then there are other drugs—such as Mirapex (prescribed for restless legs syndrome) and Requip (for Parkinson's disease)—that affect levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine and often have the side effect of creating an excessive sex drive.

New theory: Sex drive is a reflex
These drug reactions serve to show us that our sex drive is at least partly a function of our body chemistry. But emotions have a major role as well. We know that, instinctively—but now scientists are starting to try to explain it.

One theory is that sex is a reflex—automatic except that your emotions can override it.

The classic reflex test is the one where the doctor hits the tendon in your knee with a mallet, and the tendon contracts, all by itself. "Let's say the doctor is trying to do this test, and outside there's a robbery with gunshots," posits Irwin Goldstein, MD, director of San Diego Sexual Medicine and the editor in chief of The Journal of Sexual Medicine. Your brain will override the reflex; your leg will stay still.

Now, Dr. Goldstein says, consider the sex reflex. "You're rubbing up against another person on a dance floor," he suggests. You'll feel desire, all right. But only "if ..." says Dr. Goldstein. "If you're not worried about safety, if it has been a nice day, if, if, if ..."

And if not? Your brain can inhibit the response and you just won't be "interested."
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I have to say that sex as a reflex theory is true. When things are going right in my life, I feel naughtier. When I think about my success and how good things are going to be, my heart beats faster and my libido is much higher.
I've noticed it's also like sweets. The more I have sex, the more often I want it. But if I go without for a while, the cravings diminish. Except in BCT. After 10 weeks I damn near raped the first few guys I saw in AIT.
New theory: Sex drive is a reflex

I have to say that sex as a reflex theory is true. When things are going right in my life, I feel naughtier. When I think about my success and how good things are going to be, my heart beats faster and my libido is much higher. Originally Posted by Dawn Bristow
I'm reflexive, too! Okay, Dawn, you, me and Robin, lets go check our reflexes.
discreetgent's Avatar
I'm reflexive, too! Okay, Dawn, you, me and Robin, lets go check our reflexes. Originally Posted by SR Only
Adding to your list?
Youse gotta problem wid dat buddy?
Marcus Aurelius's Avatar
I posted this link in the national forum but it fits here even better. Doctor has an implanted device that can give the orgasm (reflex) to a woman.
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=235788&page=1
smoothnsilky's Avatar
Marcus, I saw that on the Discovery Health channel once and they explained about it. It freaks me out that they would have to put that near your spine and then it may not even work.

I understand some women never orgasm but if I were one of those women, I would just deal with it. Besides, there is a lot of shopping and other such things to distract me!
And therefore have animal instincts to survive and reproduce...

In my experience, the effects of certain stimuli can vary so greatly, you just never know what triggers a positive response for some people, psychologically or not, viva Viagra!

Lol, I laughed when you mentioned the knee percussor (reflex hammer) because it brought back memories of this gal I dated who would literally melt whenever I whipped out my knee percussor and tuning fork!

Very fascinating stuff, whatever floats your boat! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8Ps9...atch-main-area
Corrected link: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8Ps9310ih8"]YouTube- Talladega Nights - Vibration from the cars[/ame]&
Thanks SR Only, I'm still trying to figure out how to do that!
Guess, some how you had some extra stuff at the end. I'll separate the link so it does not get converted:
www. you tube. com/ watch?v=r8Ps9310ih8& [here is where I deleted the excess the goofed up your link]: feature=related#watch-main-area
I am not sure why it gets clipped in.
I understand some women never orgasm but if I were one of those women, I would just deal with it. Besides, there is a lot of shopping and other such things to distract me! Originally Posted by Dawn Bristow
This is a MAJOR reason women are different from men. If women can't cum, they just go shopping. If men can't cum, they commit suicide. Life isn't worth living.

[BTW, if I were a woman that couldn't cum, there is no amount of money I wouldn't spend and nothing I wouldn't try to fix the problem.]
There seems to be a high degree of correlation between a strong sex drive and high levels of stress. I noticed that upon my return from my Iraq deployment I was all sexed up – much more so than normal. Other people I spoke to said they experienced the same after effects from their war experience.
I've noticed it's also like sweets. The more I have sex, the more often I want it. But if I go without for a while, the cravings diminish. Except in BCT. After 10 weeks I damn near raped the first few guys I saw in AIT. Originally Posted by lil red Robin
I would agree with this because when I was in the service Basic sucked but when I was at Tech School, things got much better particularly since it was in Denver and the girl was lusty, busty and hot for the horizontal mambo! Walking into CQ with a mop over my shoulder at 0430 in full civilian clothes got me a few looks since reveille was at 0500.
BTW, if I were a woman that couldn't cum, there is no amount of money I wouldn't spend and nothing I wouldn't try to fix the problem. Originally Posted by charlestudor2005
AMEN.

I think most women who have been anorgasmic lifelong don't understand what they're missing, or figure they've lived pretty happy lives without it so far, so it's not such a big deal that they don't have them. But for me? I've grown accustomed to having them pretty much whenever I get the urge. A life without orgasms would be miserable.