Burn it up
Bluelighter
Anxiety induced sexual arousal and stimulant’s aphrodisiac qualities share similar mechanisms. Is increased libido from stimulant use produced by a stress response?
It is well known that anxiety triggers an increase in libido and sexual arousal. You might have experienced it personally on many occasions (exam period, extra work, etc…) Many studies have been conducted that demonstrate the relationship between an increase in sexual arousal and anxiety [Anxiety increases sexual arousal. Barlow, David H.; Sakheim, David K.; Beck, J. Gayle ; Some evidence for heightened sexual attraction under conditions of high anxiety. Dutton, Donald G.; Aron, Arthur P.].
This makes a lot of sense, as stress increases vassopresin levels and activates many processes which in turn can also increase sexual arousal [ENDOCRINOLOGY OF THE STRESS RESPONSE, Evangelia Charmandari, Constantine Tsigos, and George Chrousos]. The evolutionary reason for this is not completely understood [The evolution of human sexuality revisited, Donald Symons; Stress and the evolution of condition-dependent signals, Katherine L. Buchanan ] because it doesn’t make too much sense that in stress circumstances individuals start to procreate, as it will decrease their fitness by forcing pregnant females and their offspring to survive in adverse conditions. However, there is the possibility that stress generated by weather changes (the beginning of the cold season) could be beneficial, as procreation at that time would produce an offspring in the warm months.
Well, anyway, many stimulant drugs also produce an activation of some anxiety induced responses (increase in vasopressin, etc, etc…) amongst many other effects. Heck, they even directly produce anxiety.
I was thinking the other day that we tend to oversimplify when we state that stimulants increase libido and sexual arousal just by the direct psychological effects of the drug. I believe that stimulants produce sexual arousal mainly in a physiological way by activating the stress mechanisms in the body, which in turn produce an increase in libido. It is not the direct action on of the drug in our libido, but more it’s action on the stress mediated responses.
I have really not researched too much about this, so I would love to hear your ideas on this issue. Is increased libido from stimulant use produced by a stress response?
It is well known that anxiety triggers an increase in libido and sexual arousal. You might have experienced it personally on many occasions (exam period, extra work, etc…) Many studies have been conducted that demonstrate the relationship between an increase in sexual arousal and anxiety [Anxiety increases sexual arousal. Barlow, David H.; Sakheim, David K.; Beck, J. Gayle ; Some evidence for heightened sexual attraction under conditions of high anxiety. Dutton, Donald G.; Aron, Arthur P.].
This makes a lot of sense, as stress increases vassopresin levels and activates many processes which in turn can also increase sexual arousal [ENDOCRINOLOGY OF THE STRESS RESPONSE, Evangelia Charmandari, Constantine Tsigos, and George Chrousos]. The evolutionary reason for this is not completely understood [The evolution of human sexuality revisited, Donald Symons; Stress and the evolution of condition-dependent signals, Katherine L. Buchanan ] because it doesn’t make too much sense that in stress circumstances individuals start to procreate, as it will decrease their fitness by forcing pregnant females and their offspring to survive in adverse conditions. However, there is the possibility that stress generated by weather changes (the beginning of the cold season) could be beneficial, as procreation at that time would produce an offspring in the warm months.
Well, anyway, many stimulant drugs also produce an activation of some anxiety induced responses (increase in vasopressin, etc, etc…) amongst many other effects. Heck, they even directly produce anxiety.
I was thinking the other day that we tend to oversimplify when we state that stimulants increase libido and sexual arousal just by the direct psychological effects of the drug. I believe that stimulants produce sexual arousal mainly in a physiological way by activating the stress mechanisms in the body, which in turn produce an increase in libido. It is not the direct action on of the drug in our libido, but more it’s action on the stress mediated responses.
I have really not researched too much about this, so I would love to hear your ideas on this issue. Is increased libido from stimulant use produced by a stress response?
