Is sexual arousal physical for everyone?

[binary suns]

Google defines sexual arousal as: 

Sexual arousal is typically the arousal of sexual desire during or in anticipation of sexual activity. A number of physiological responses occur in the body and mind as preparation for sexual intercourse and continue during it.

which almost looks like a definition for sexual desire lol

 

For me, sexual arousal is a literal physical feeling I get in my body. Is this normal for everyone or is it more complex that just a bodily sensation? 

 

[flor9]

I am honestly wondering the same thing. I'm leaning more towards being sexual (heterosexual), but I'm not sure if I've ever been physically aroused, only mentally. 

[Guest]

31 minutes ago, Float On said:

For me, sexual arousal is a literal physical feeling I get in my body. Is this normal for everyone or is it more complex that just a bodily sensation? 

 

16 minutes ago, flor9 said:

but I'm not sure if I've ever been physically aroused, only mentally. 

For me, it's MOSTLY mental when related to another specific person. I get very mentally aroused and desire to reciprocate that with the person I have an emotional connection to at the time. However, I think I might have a physical arousal disorder or something, because it's very difficult to get my body to also be aroused at the same time. Like if it doesn't want to be aroused, it won't. I always wished there was a pill I could just take to make my body react to the arousal I have internally.

 

When I was first with the guy who made me realize I wasn't ace, my feelings were SO strong that they did ramp my libido up for a time!!! But yeah then after that my physical arousal just stops despite being mentally very aroused.

 

I do experience physical arousal but it just happens entirely on its own for no reason. Like I might be doing the dishes then it happens. It's so annoying!!! There's never any trigger for that kind of arousal when I get it, and I can't force it to happen.

 

@flor9 there's also something called responsive desire which is when your body only becomes properly aroused from foreplay etc during the intimate act, as a result of someone else's desire etc. There's no way of knowing if you have that or not until you can be intimate with someone you really care about, but it's another possibility!!

[Guest]

I barely notice it unless its mental. The physical happens so lightly I just dont care. The mental /emotional desire is noticeable and hard to ignore. 

[Skycaptain]

Partly correct in my view. The head with one eye can become aroused when the head with two eyes doesn't. Maybe a broken link between the physical and the mental side of arousal could be something to do with asexuality, maybe it's a sign of something else 

[Low End Things]

It definitely starts as mental for me. The mental aspect fuels the physical aspect.

[KiraS]

Generally speaking, if a question ends in "for everyone?" the answer is almost universally "no."

 

Specifically, mind/body duality is bunkum, so the answer is "no."