sexual desire

Sexual desire Sexual desire is a motivational state and an interest in “sexual objects or activities, or as a wish, need, or drive to seek out sexual objects or to engage in sexual activities”.[1] Sexual desire has been referred to by many different names such as libido, sexual drive, sexual motivation, sexual interest, lust, and sexual appetite.[2] Even if it can be labelled with a variety of terms, there is no doubt that sexual desire may be the “single most common sexual event in the lives of men and women”.[1] Sexual desire is a subjective feeling state that can “be triggered by both internal and external cues, and that may or may not result in overt sexual behaviour”.[3] Sexual desire can be aroused through imagination and sexual fantasies, or even through perceiving an individual you find attractive.[4] Sexual desire can be spontaneous or responsive.[5] Sexual desire is dynamic, can either be positive or negative, and can vary in intensity depending on the desired object/person. The sexual desire spectrum is described by Stephen B. Levine as: aversion --> disinclination --> indifference --> interest --> need --> passion.[6]

The production and use of sexual fantasy and thought is an important part of properly functioning sexual desire. Some physical manifestations of sexual desire in humans are; licking, sucking, puckering, and touching the lips, as well as tongue protrusion.[