The mental orgasm: Climax without being touched

Men and women aren’t wired the same when it comes to sex, and even now, the female orgasm remains much of a mystery for medical experts. Within the last 5 years, however, more evidence has been uncovered to suggest that, for women, an orgasm is more mental than it is physical.

But can you really think yourself into an orgasm without any physical stimulation? According to researchers, observing brain chemistry associated with female arousal says the answer is yes.

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In 2010, Dr. Barry Komisaruk, co-author of The Science Of Orgasm, told The Daily Mail, “The pleasure centers of the brain associated with orgasm light up in women who think themselves to orgasm in exactly the same way as in women who orgasm through more conventional means. The same centers don’t light up when a woman mimics orgasm — only if it’s the real thing.”

Mental orgasm, however, can be as different for each woman as night and day. In Komisaruk’s investigation, some women used combinations of fantasy and breathing to reach orgasm without touch, while others preferred to use pelvic floor exercises and more imaginative romantic scenarios.

There was no single thought or single process that could lead to a mental orgasm; it was something each woman to to figure out on her own.

“Some imagined erotic scenarios,” Dr Komisaruk adds. “But others imagined very romantic scenes such as a lover whispering to them. Others pictured more abstract sensual experiences, such as walking along a beach or imagining waves of energy moving through their body. Not only do the scanners show which areas of the brain become active during orgasm, but also which parts close down — and how women experience orgasm differently to men.”

During a female orgasm through sex, the parts of the female brain responsible for processing fear, anxiety and emotion start to relax, eventually reaching a peak during climax, when the female brain’s anxiety and emotion are effectively closed down to produce an almost trance-like state. If a number were to be applied to it, it would appear the female orgasm is 99 percent mental.

So why don’t all women have a mental orgasm?

According to sex experts just as mental stimulation is possible, mental hurdles can prevent the experience. Someone who was raised with religious beliefs that make masturbation seem wrong or “dirty” would likely be unable to reach a mental orgasm.

The key is letting go completely, and for many women, stress, stigma and exhaustion can all sabotage mental orgasm efforts. And even if you can reach a mental climax, sex expert Paula Hall indicates that doesn’t mean you should forgo a healthy relationship. Sex is primarily about connecting with another person emotionally and physically, and relying on a mental orgasm when alone is no different than physical masturbation?a poor replacement.

For the best results? Try a mental orgasm while stimulating your partner.

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