# Medical/Psychological basis for horniness
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-psychological-basis-for-horniness/156570
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [February 21, 2003, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-psychological-basis-for-horniness/156570 "2003-02-21T17:36:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Belrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belrix)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2003, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-psychological-basis-for-horniness/156570/1 "2003-02-21T17:36:01Z")
Based somewhat on the recent [masturbation thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=164303), I’ve been wondering about the nature of _horniness_.
Is there a physiological basis behind being horny? Is it related to something like the build-up of fluids needing released or is it a purely psychological phenomenon?
While I’m wondering, what about the actual sensation of being horny? To me it’s like a subtle pressure - not entirely unlike the pressure felt when you have to go to the bathroom. Is this, again, a psychological thing or is there some sort of physical change that I’m sensing (increased blood flow or similar).
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### Author:  [@The\_Calculus\_of\_Logic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Calculus_of_Logic)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2003, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-psychological-basis-for-horniness/156570/2 "2003-02-21T20:27:41Z")
i don’t know the neurology of horniness but certain drugs like weak androgenic anabolic steroids or SSRI anti depression meds can greatly cut down someone’s sex drive.