Tuning In And Turning On: A Practical Model Of Sexual Arousal For Clinical Use

This presentation outlines a simple model of sexual arousal that can be used in clinical practice to help patients understand and overcome arousal difficulties. Sexual arousal is a mental process that requires us to create and maintain sustained concentration on erotic experience. Sexual arousal only occurs when undivided attention is paid to sexually stimulating experiences, such as sensual caresses, passionate kissing, a sexy sight, an erotic thought or anticipation of sexual pleasure and orgasm. In everyday life attention typically shifts from one subject to another.

To create sexual arousal we must tune out all non-sexy ‘static’ and ‘mind-clutter’ and home in on erotic experience. The quality of focus on erotic cues needs to be both intense and sustained for sexual arousal to begin. Intense erotic focus must be steadily maintained otherwise arousal will fade. Worries and distractions must continually be put to one side otherwise arousal will be lost. The longer and stronger focus is maintained, the higher arousal can climb with the help of appropriate stimulation.

Any distraction away from this single-minded focus will either prevent or impair sexual arousal. Distraction may be due to anticipatory anxiety, feelings of sexual inadequacy, anxious thoughts about sexual performance and visions of sexual failure, emotional distress as well as mental clutter of a non-sexual nature. Persisting distraction will manifest as lack of sexual pleasure and enjoyment, plus erection and orgasm problems in men and uncomfortable intercourse, orgasm and lubrication problems in women.