Misinterpreting non-sex feelings as sex feelings?

[happilyirrelevant]

For a long time (until yesterday actually) I thought sensual attraction=sexual attraction, since everyone seemed to experience sexual attraction and sensual attraction was the closest equivalent to that that I had. I also get unusually sensually attracted to things--my biggest wish when I was young was to become part of storm clouds because I just found them so sensually amazing--so for a while I even wondered if I was sexually attracted to objects and natural phenomena because somehow I thought of that as a more likely option than that I was simply asexual.  

And---this is really embarassing--when I was younger I googled what lust felt like. And the closest I could think of to what they experienced was *sigh* the feeling I got when I needed to use the bathroom. Because I've never been "turned on" and so that was the closest equivalent to what I read was "lust." So for a long time I thought "Oh, I experience sexual attraction and being turned on!" because I was confusing non-sexual feelings with sexual ones. 

 

Has anyone else ever done this? Also, has anyone confused non-romantic feelings for romantic ones? I'm pretty sure I'm romantic but given how much I mixed up non-sex feeling for sex-feelings, it's possible I'm doing the same with non-romantic feelings too haha. I just wondered if you guys had done anything similar. ^-^

[SamwiseLovesLife]

7 minutes ago, happilyirrelevant said:

my biggest wish when I was young was to become part of storm clouds because I just found them so sensually amazing--so for a while I even wondered if I was sexually attracted to objects and natural phenomena because somehow I thought of that as a more likely option than that I was simply asexual.  

I apolagise for calling you weird but this is totally weird and I love it

 

7 minutes ago, happilyirrelevant said:

And the closest I could think of to what they experienced was *sigh* the feeling I got when I needed to use the bathroom.

*tmi* this is how I explain masterbation to people. feels the same to me

 

7 minutes ago, happilyirrelevant said:

Has anyone else ever done this? Also, has anyone confused non-romantic feelings for romantic ones? I'm pretty sure I'm romantic but given how much I mixed up non-sex feeling for sex-feelings, it's possible I'm doing the same with non-romantic feelings too haha.

Absolutely! All my teenage-hood I thought that my admiration/aestetic attraction must be sexual attraction. Or anything really. I think I was clutching at straws because it didn't occur to me that I might just not feel those things that everyone talks about. Whoops.

[SamwiseLovesLife]

Also same for me on romantic feelings. Lately I've explored my past feelings more and am fairly certain these were platonic admiration (squishes). It makes sense of allot really

[happilyirrelevant]

Ahh thank you, I feel like less of an oddball now 

And yeah, the stormclouds thing is a bit weird haha. I would almost cry from the frustration of knowing I could never join the stormclouds. And beg them, out loud, to please take me with them. I was never sure exactly what that would actually entail, but, y'know, I HAD TO GO WITH THEM ANYWAY. I was.....an unusual child.

[binary suns]

yeah I grew up thinking I was normal sexual attraction but when I was in a sexual relationship I was struck with the reality of what sexual attraction really is. made me feel creeped out. well, idk, sometimes I was neutral about it, and usually I was happy to be there for her, since she wanted me, and I could assist, idk how to explain it really... . 

 

 

after bout 2 years of growth in understanding of attraction, and knowledge of what others talk about, and better awareness about my own experiences, I feel as if I do partially feel some sexual attraction.

[TheLittleRabbit]

30 minutes ago, happilyirrelevant said:

 And the closest I could think of to what they experienced was *sigh* the feeling I got when I needed to use the bathroom. Because I've never een "turned on" and so that was the closest equivalent to what I read was "lust." So for a long time I thought "Oh, I experience sexual attraction and being turned on!" because I was confusing non-sexual feelings with sexual ones. 

This was me.  Sometimes I'll even still wake up with all sorts of pressure down there and wonder if this is arousal... But then I go to the bathroom and realize it was just my bladder being full.

 

I think it's kind of like being color blind.  Even if you can't see red, if you grow up with everyone telling you about this amazing color red, you convince yourself that you see it too.  Until someone gives you one of those tests where you're supposed to tell the difference between red and green to see a pattern and you're faced with evidence that the way you experience life is different.

[happilyirrelevant]

1 minute ago, TheLittleRabbit said:

This was me.  Sometimes I'll even still wake up with all sorts of pressure down there and wonder if this is arousal... But then I go to the bathroom and realize it was just my bladder being full.

 

I think it's kind of like being color blind.  Even if you can't see red, if you grow up with everyone telling you about this amazing color red, you convince yourself that you see it too.  Until someone gives you one of those tests where you're supposed to tell the difference between red and green to see a pattern and you're faced with evidence that the way you experience life is different.

Ooh that's a great explanation with colorblindess! I think I might use that in the future, I love it!
And I can't tell you how relieved I am to hear that other people experienced that same confusion too hahaha

[SamwiseLovesLife]

On 25/04/2017 at 4:01 PM, TheLittleRabbit said:

I think it's kind of like being color blind.  Even if you can't see red, if you grow up with everyone telling you about this amazing color red, you convince yourself that you see it too.  Until someone gives you one of those tests where you're supposed to tell the difference between red and green to see a pattern and you're faced with evidence that the way you experience life is different.

Exactly right <3