Sexual Response Cycle, Essay Example

As described in Psychology and the Challenges of Life, the sexual response cycle for males and females share many similarities as well some differences.  This paper will summarize the phases for both genders, underscoring the commonalities, and will also examine sexual dysfunctions and their treatments.

The sexual response cycle is the term used to describe the physical reactions that occur in both males and females when they are sexually stimulated.  Initially described by Masters and Johnson, there are four stages of such arousal: the excitement phase, the plateau, orgasm and resolution.  In both genders, the sexual stimulation cycle results in the swelling of genital tissues with blood, or vasocongestion, and which results in erection of the penis and swelling of the vaginal area.  Several areas, including the earlobes, the nipples, and the testes become swollen as well.

Myotonia is another characteristic of the sexual response cycle and essentially describes the process of muscle tension.  This tension takes the form of facial expressions such as grimacing, spasms in the arms and legs, and most dramatically, spasms that occur during orgasm.

During the excitement phase, in young men within 3 to 8 seconds after sexual stimulation occurs–such as exposure to visual or tactile incidents– erection can occur causing the scrotal area to become thicker, with the skin tightening.  The testicles rise and also grow in size.  When females become aroused, within 10 to 30 seconds after sexual stimulation begins they will experience vaginal lubrication.  The clitoris becomes swollen due to vasocongestion and the vaginal lips become swollen and flattened.  Internally, the vagina expands, the breasts become enlarged and the nipples erect.  The blood vessels that are close to the surface are more noticeable.

In both males and females, during the excitement phase the skin often takes on a flushed appearance, although it is more noticeable in women.  In both genders, nipples may become hard, and the blood pressure and heart rate increase.

During the plateau phase, the degree of sexual arousal levels off.  Vasocongestion causes the penis to change color to a purplish shade as the blood rushes to it, and there is usually some increase in the circumference of the head of the penis.  In addition, the testicles become raised into position for ejaculation and may increase in size by 150%.  In this phase for the females, the outer part of the vagina swells because of vasocongestion, preparing the vagina to open up to receive and grasp the penis.  The inside of the vagina continues to expand and the clitoris shortens and moves behind the clitoral hood.  The rate of breathing increases, as does the heart rate while blood pressure rises.

The third phase of sexual arousal cycle is the orgasmic phase, which for males consists of two different phases of muscular contractions: in the initial stage, semen accumulates at the base of the penis, and the internal sphincter of the bladder prevents urine from combining with semen.  Next, the ejaculation is propelled out of the body when the muscles contract.  At this stage there is much pleasure for the male, but the degree depends upon how strong the contractions are as well as the amount of semen that is released.  The first three or four contractions are usually the most pleasurable, and as they release sexual tension, the contractions become slower and less intense.

The elusive female orgasm involves 3 to 15 seconds of muscular contractions of the pelvis that surrounds the vaginal cavities.  Like that of the male, the first contractions tend to be the most intense, and produce a release of sexual tension, following which the contractions slow down and become weaker.

Erection, vaginal lubrication and orgasm all occur automatically in response to some sort of stimulation, either visual, verbal, or tactile.  After orgasm, the body reaches the resolution stage, which is its physical state prior to sexual stimulation.  The penis returns to its normal size, the testicles return to their normal location, because the blood withdraws from the engorged areas.  In women, the blood is also released from the swollen areas so that the nipples, clitoris, and vaginal walls return to their pre-arousal state.  In both genders, heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate return to normal as well.  Often, one or both partners feel relaxed and fulfilled.

Sexual dysfunctions occur when people have frequent or constant difficulties in the areas of sexual interest, excitement or response.  Some of the most common dysfunctions are:

• Hypoactive sexual desire disorder, in which there is a lack of sexual desire, a low sex drive, and a lack of sexual fantasies.  In females, this is manifested when there is a constant lack of, or minimal, vaginal lubrication that would accommodate intercourse.  In men, this disorder is characterized by a constant difficulty in having or maintaining an erection.
• Orgasmic disorder, in which the man or woman is consistently delayed in achieving orgasm or simply doesn’t reach it at all.  This may occur with one partner but not another.
• Premature ejaculation, when the male ejaculates so quickly and with so little stimulation that his sexual partner is unable to attain any sexual pleasure and his may be diminished as well.

There are many causes of sexual dysfunctions and as a result, there are many treatments.  In some cases, there is a physical cause of the problem, such as having an illness like diabetes, coronary heart disease, and any other illness that can affect blood circulation, blood vessels or nerves.  Sexual dysfunction can also be caused by an imbalance in the hormones that affect the sex drive.  Other causes of sexual dysfunctions are fatigue, chemical dependence, mental health issues such as depression or anxiety, or taking certain medications that can inhibit sexual desire or performance.

Sexual dysfunctions are often treated by sex therapy, which is a brief method of psychological treatment that combines cognitive therapy with behavioral methods.  Before engaging in sex therapy, however, it is essential that both parties undergo a physical examination to determine whether one of the above mentioned physical causes such as a disease process or hormone imbalance is at the root of the problem.  Often these methods include: decreasing performance anxiety by temporarily discouraging the couple from having sexual intercourse but rather encouraging them to engage in other ways of pleasuring each other short of intercourse, thereby taking the pressure off both parties to provide an orgasm for the other one; teaching sexual skills, by teaching people how to provide pleasure for their partner through sexual stimulation, for example helping men who have premature ejaculation to delay climax by stopping and starting sexual activity and learning to have more control over when they ejaculate; increasing sexual knowledge, or literally educating the couple about the biology of both genders and correcting any misinformation they may have about sexual behavior; and improving communication about sex, because the topic may be uncomfortable for people and they just simply do not talk about what they are experiencing, are lacking, or desiring from their partner.  Finally, some problems such as the inability to have an erection can be corrected by the use of medications such as Viagra.

Most sexual dysfunctions can be very easily treated but unfortunately because people become embarrassed, they do not seek treatment or do so when it has become a much bigger problem than it needed to be.

Source

Rathus, J. N. (2005). Psychology and the Challenges of Life: Adjustment in the New Millenium. New York: Wiley.