Here is why you feel horny

Written By: Humzaad

June 19, 2021

Highlights

The desire for sex is evolutionary and all living things are designed to reproduce in a way that is beyond our control.
Everyone feels the need to have sex regardless of their sexual orientation or idea of procreation.
Libido is a person’s overall sexual drive or desire for sexual activity. Some people feel more horny than others.
Some may have higher levels of sexual desire when their testosterone or estrogen production is high.
Sexual interests and turn-ons are different for everyone. Everyone has sexual urges — some more than others.

Full Read

Spread the love

The desire for sex is evolutionary and all living things are designed to reproduce in a way that is beyond our control. Everyone feels the need to have sex regardless of their sexual orientation or idea of procreation. When you see an object of desire, the hypothalamus in the brain fuels your lust, stimulating the sex hormones testosterone or estrogen from your testis or ovaries. That’s why some may have higher levels of sexual desire or feel ‘horny’ when they are ovulating or their estrogen production is high.

Libido or that horny feeling

Libido is a person’s overall sexual drive or desire for sexual activity. In psychoanalytic theory, libido is a psychic drive or energy, particularly associated with sexual instinct, but also present in other instinctive desires and drives. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that sexual health is a state of physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being in relation to sexuality. Libido is influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors and is also an indicator of a person’s overall well-being. Some people feel more horny than the others

What happens during sex?

As sexual activity begins certain parts of the brain like the pre-frontal cortex stops functioning and cuts you off from rational behavior and self-awareness which makes you feel like you are losing control of yourself. At the same time, the cerebellum flares up its activity making you feel emotionally connected to your sexual partner. It also increases muscle tension in the body which results eventually in orgasm. During an orgasm 30 different regions of your brain go wild along with the hypothalamus and nucleus accumbens, speeding up functions of many systems in the bodies and heightening their function, especially those of the respiratory and circulatory system along with the genitals. and tightens parts of your body.

The brain’s reward/ pleasure center receives 1000s of signals from the nervous system and this may last from 10 to 20 seconds and calms quickly. Some other regions of your body get cut off which gives you an out the body feeling.

The pituitary gland gives you the afterglow and also creates a lazy feeling. Oxytocin and other mood boosters are also secreted making you feel a bond and also make you feel relaxed and happy for long after the moment.

What physical factors give you the urge to have sex?

Sexual interests and turn-ons are different for everyone. Everyone has sexual urges — some more than others. A thought of intimacy, a feeling of emotional bonding, the smell of your partner’s perfume, their touch can all be a response to make you feel a sudden sexual urge.

Hormones

These are the most important reason for sexual arousals. A spike in the hormones testosterone in men and estrogen in women is significantly responsible for a sexual urge. So the more hormonal you are, the hornier you may feel and also have more sexual desire compared to the urges. For women, this may also be dependent on the ovulation period of their menstrual cycles when estrogen peaks.

Foods

Certain foods can stimulate a sexual urge and are also known as aphrodisiacs. Fenugreek, herbs like ginseng and gingko biloba, pistachio, saffron, chocolates, oysters, honey are all well-known aphrodisiacs.

Alcohol

Alcohol sometimes helps men and women to relax and get in the mood by losing their inhibitions. But high alcohol intake can also reduce arousal and sexual function. The same applies to drugs.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy also stimulates certain hormones along with creating pressure on the clitoris, vagina, and urethra, making you feel aroused. This also happens when the bladder is full and pressure on those sensitive areas can be arousing.

Reasons people have sex

Sex may be the reason for procreation but we don’t have sex always with an intention to reproduce. Dr. Vinod Chebbi, sex therapist and marital counselor, director of Medisex Foundation Bangalore, is the first in India to combine psychotherapy and couples therapy into a comprehensive therapy model. According to him, these are also the reasons why people of all sexual orientations engage in sexual activity with their loved ones and this is the biggest proof that sex is not a practice for only having children.

Sleep Relief

It aids you to sleep because of the release of hormones like endorphins, serotonin, oxytocin, and dopamine. This chemical cocktail gives you a feeling of relaxation. It helps you to calm down and gives a feel-good happy feeling thus helping you combat stress and helps you to sleep better.

Sex creates an understanding between two partners

Sex helps partners come physically and emotionally closer and helps to strengthen bonding between them. Having a baby is different from becoming a mother. This is a gender role and so is becoming a father. It is a great way of communication and intimacy. The four ways of communication for partners are verbal, non-verbal, doing activities together and having sex. Skin being the largest organ in the body, it has the most physical connection during sex through touch giving somatic experience. So sex serves as an intimate connection and nothing comes closer to that.

Sex gives fulfillment

It makes you seek to complete any incomplete relationships that one may have in their life especially their childhood issues. It may have different experiences and connotations and meanings for the same people with different partners.

It creates connection or attachment with people

Secure, insecure, childhood traumas can develop from patriarchal issues. You are so mean to me but you mean so much to me. They need sex to be calm safe so they will indulge with people with whom they feel safe.

Give you validation

Sex is a powerful feeling that makes you feel alive, gives you Validation and companionship. A part of your existence comes out during sex. People exist because another person validates them. So you validate yourself through a relationship with another person and sex is one form of that. It gives you an identity.

When is it not normal?

Sex drive or a good libido is actually an indicator of good health. But when this gets in the way of your normal life and starts affecting your routine, work, socializing, or health aspects, you should seek help from a doctor, sex therapist, or health professional. This could be signs of a hypersexual disorder. Having regular sex, masturbation, exercise, and finding other creative ways to indulge and keep busy may also help take the mind of the constant need for sex and arousal.

horny intimacy Libido sex

Humzaad

Humzaad is a content writer who wishes to bring an alternate reality of the world to light with her writings. She talks about taboos and shunned topics often brushed under the carpet or discussed in hushed tones. Every writer has an alter ego and this profile is hers. Her writings often come with a trigger warning.
On other days you will find her gardening or making art. You can reach her at humzaadthewriter@gmail.com

How Do I Convince My Mom To Let Me Get Menstrual Cups?

Written By: Sonali

May 5, 2023 | 01:37 PM |

990

Highlights

Existence of menstrual cups.
Why Indian menstruators refrain from using menstrual cups?
What young menstruators should do?
Asan’s journey.

Quick Read
Full Read

Did you know that menstrual cups have been around since 1930? And the very first design patents for its similar versions, called catamenial sacks, were granted in the 1860s! Menstrual cups, in fact, are one of the oldest period products known to humans — predating the first pads by a decade and tampons by more than a half-century.

Then why is it still a secret to so many people? Why are menstruators not using menstrual cups or why are most of them not aware of it in the first place?

According to a recent survey done by our team, most of the Indian menstruators refrain from using menstrual cups because:

They are not aware of it.
They do not want to insert a ‘foreign’ object inside their vagina.
They do not get approval from their mothers to use an ‘insertable’ period product.

This Menstrual Hygiene Day, Infano partnered with Asan, a menstrual cup brand, to understand the instances that helped menstruators to convince their mothers to let them use a menstrual cup or to simply switch to it. We talked with a few menstruators and here’s what we got!

Spread the love

However, it wasn’t until recently it took its popularity to the next level!

In 2013, the search “menstrual cup” had a popularity score of 21, but it increased to 83 only five years later.
Source

And the global market for the same has been estimated at between $46 million and $1.4 billion by 2023.

Then why is it still a secret to so many people? Why are menstruators not using menstrual cups or why are most of them not aware of it in the first place?

According to a recent survey done by our team, most of the Indian menstruators refrain from using menstrual cups because:
~ They are not aware of it.
~ They do not want to insert a ‘foreign’ object inside their vagina.
~ They do not get approval from their mothers to use an ‘insertable’ period product.

“ ‘Can I introduce a menstrual cup to my teenage daughter? Are menstrual cups safe for young girls?’ are the most commonly asked questions on Asan’s website every day. The thoughts related to insertable menstrual products, virginity and discomfort hovers in the mind of many mothers. They are hesitant and have their biases related to the product,” says Mamta Kandari, Head of Impact, Asan.

^{_{“The first time I saw the Asan cup, I did not know how to use it. In fact, I had never seen or imagined a menstrual cup and I thought I’d be wearing pads for the rest of my life! But then my mother and sister both used the Asan cup and explained to me exactly how it works. After they used it, they were able to support me in figuring it out and now all three of us use the Asan cup. It means I can go to school and for my training without any issues during my period.”}}
_{– Deepika, 15, Kanakapura, Asan donation beneficiary.}

“At Asan, we encourage mothers to try the Asan cup themselves first as it makes a huge difference. As soon as a mother adopts to the cup, they understand its incredible benefits and then supports their daughters to make the switch. After they have experienced the comfort which comes with the cup, the way they look at periods completely changes, and they want their daughters to experience the same benefits,” Mamta continues shedding more light on Deepika’s story.

_{“I am a little shy about my body, thus it took a while to build enough courage to convince my mother. I made a PowerPoint presentation about menstrual cups, stating the benefits I or my family would get from them along with the negative aspects of reusables and the benefits of menstrual cups. And that worked for me! She was SUPER cool about it. Hope this helps!”}
_{– Niharika, 17, Rishikesh, Menstrual Cup User.}

“When I was 14, I started searching for different alternatives to our daily routines to live a more low-waste lifestyle. Every time on period, pads would pile up, and the plastic made me nauseous. I soon started to research the other products in the market. After scrolling through countless companies, evaluating cloth pads, period underwear and the menstrual cup, I was convinced that the Asan cup is a win-win in every possible way. The cup is eco-friendly, economically viable as its investment for the next decade, and can last you 12 hours — this was a plus point for me as I have a heavy flow and constantly play sports. Committing to making the change was nerve-racking, but a determined me didn’t look back after I bought the Asan cup. I was assured I wanted to make the transition.

At the time, my mother was a little hesitant about me starting to use the cup, as she wasn’t convinced if the cup was suitable for teenagers or not. I knew I wanted to make the switch and I had to assure her that the cup was a safe and comfortable product for teens. For this, I made a PROs and CONs list of all the sustainable products in the market and reviews of the products, as well as my opinion on them. I was able to persuade her to let me order the Asan cup immediately as she was certain that the cup was the best alternative.

The insertion and removal of the cup were tough and nerve-racking the first time I tried, now it has been more than a year and I’m a pro. The ring makes Asan unique since it is easy to locate and remove the cup. I love Asan’s mission to eradicate period poverty. I cannot stress more how easy it has made the six most irritable days of the month rather manageable. Asan surely lives up to its tagline: The Best. Period.”
– Kaashvi, 15, Bangalore, Asan cup user & volunteer

_{“Menstrual cups are much easier, once you get used to insertion and comfortable with the procedure. I was 26 when I started using it. It normally just requires emptying once or twice a day. But my mom or people whom I know of their age weren’t comfortable with the whole process. She was so against using it and it took me a few cycles to get the hang of it. Eventually, I believe, it becomes easier switching to cups.”}
_{– Pooja, 28, New Delhi, Menstrual Cup User.}

“Switching to menstrual cups was not an easy decision. Today, after almost 2 years of using it, I can share confidently that no matter what kind of fear or doubts you are carrying, it’s all worth overcoming them to enjoy the comfort that comes with it.

I dreaded the idea of inserting something inside my vagina. And a sea of questions entered me before it could. What if it is stuck inside, what if I pull out and the blood splatters all around, what if it pains, what if it gets lost inside, what if I get infected due to the silicone material it’s made of, and even questions like what if I need to pee or take a dump while it’s inserted. I know it makes me sound so unaware of my own body, but I need to be honest with anyone who is looking for answers to these questions.

To top it all off, one of the videos by a famous influencer showed how terrible she felt about it after using it for one day. I recommend not watching videos but instead asking people/ friends around you, who are using it. It would be much more authentic and comforting. Whatever is keeping you away from switching to menstrual cups, ask the questions to someone you know.

I had bought the cup, but couldn’t use it for 3 months… then one day, a friend of mine casually mentioned how she has switched to menstrual cups. And I flooded her with my questions and concerns. All I ended up with was a sense of surety that I am going to try it out at the earliest.

I remember the first day I used it — I could not insert it easily — took many rounds of trying, pulling out and figuring out the way. And it took me almost 3 months to get comfortable with the process of insertion and pulling out. I got the trick! Everyone has their own way and it takes you to do it yourself instead of thinking about it.

The pros are many, but the biggest con is beautiful as well. For me, it was that you can be so unaware of its existence inside you, that you can forget to pull it out after every few hours. It just stops bothering you. How great is that!”
– Anamika, Jaipur, Menstrual Cup User.

Further explaining the brand’s approach, Mamta continues, “during Asan’s 1-for-1 donations sessions, we always invite mothers and daughters to attend sessions together, and gift them both the Asan cup. We find this approach holistic and more effective, because of the support that they receive from each other. If a mother does not menstruate anymore, we still take the time to explain the benefits of the cup and how it works in a lot of detail.”

_{“Asan’s responsibility is to educate both mothers and daughters — not just about our menstrual cups but also about periods, the reproductive system and puberty. We try to provide accurate information in local languages so everyone understands their bodies. Once we’ve done that, the choice of using the Asan cup is up to each person. We find that 90% of mothers and daughters who attend our sessions and understand the benefits do choose to try it”}
_{– Ira Guha, Founder & CEO, Asan.}

To know more about Ira’s & Asan’s journey, click here.

You can visit Asan here or can connect via Facebook or Instagram.

This #MenstrualHygieneDay, #Infano along with #TheLogicalIndian, is addressing nuanced conversations on period centering on the well being of the menstruators as they power through every day. Share your experience with menstrual cups and your mother’s role in it in the comments because your story can trigger an important aspect that we all need to know and talk about! #IPeriodMyWay #MHD2022

menstrual cup period talk Periods

Sonali

A 'non-9-5 desk job' ambivert geek who chooses her own audience, Sonali loves sharing stories and finding the corners where humanity still exists! She believes that every individual's story is unique and special. She loves writing about the untouched and unspoken segments of society. When not writing, you can find her listening to someone's stories or playing with dogs. Sonali values mental health and encourages people to speak their heart out!