What is Sexuality?

                      What is Sexuality?

ot easy to define sexuality.
 Sexuality mainly has two components.
 1- Sexual Identity
 2- Sexual function
 1- Sexual identity constitutes –
 Gender identity, Orientation, and intention
 While as sexual function ensembles
Desire, arousal, and orgasm.
 All these combine to give sexual and emotional satisfaction.

The sexual response cycle consists of 4 stages-
desire, arousal, orgasm, and resolution.
Desire- consists of
sexual drive– biological
sexual motivation — psychological
sexual wish- social
Sexual drive is controlled by the Limbic system, the preoptic area of the hypothalamus.
 Certain hormones and dopamine increase the sex drive. Certain medications like antihypertensives can decrease the sex drive.

Sexual arousal is of two types.
Psychological
 Physiological
 Arousal leads to :
 In males– erection, testicular elevation, penile color change
In females– vaginal lubrication, clitoral tumescence, and labial color change.
In arousal- heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure rise.
Orgasm- is vasocongestion. BP, heart rate, and respiratory rate remain elevated.
Resolution- After orgasm- heart rate, BP, and respiratory become normal.
 If a sexual act doesn’t end in orgasm, the congestion is not relieved, which leads to irritability and discomfort that may last for several hours.
 If the act ends in orgasm, they experience calm and relaxation.
 Any problem during the sexual response cycle may lead to dissatisfaction.
Sexual counseling can solve the problems.