Psychologists have conducted experiments showing that people's perception of time can be affected by experiencing life-threatening dangers. This has led to the hypothesis that exposure to dangerous situations could change the way individuals view their relationship priorities, including their sexual desires.
It is still unclear how exactly this happens.
One possible explanation is that when faced with a life-threatening situation, people may become more aware of what really matters most to them, such as their loved ones and family members. In turn, this awareness could lead to an increased desire for emotional closeness and intimacy with those closest to them, potentially leading to changes in sexual behavior.
Researchers have found that soldiers who experienced combat were less likely to engage in casual sex after returning home than before deployment.
Another possibility is that life-threatening experiences could alter brain chemistry in ways that affect sexual desire. When exposed to stressful or frightening events, the body releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which can suppress sexual arousal.
However, these hormone levels return to normal, potentially making people feel more aroused.
Some studies suggest that being physically close to another person during a scary event can increase feelings of safety and trust, resulting in increased physical affection and possibly sexual attraction.
It's also possible that life-threatening experiences could make people reevaluate their values and goals, shifting their focus away from short-term pleasures like sex towards long-term fulfillment in relationships. Some research suggests that trauma survivors are more likely to seek out supportive, stable relationships, while others find new meaning in life through religious or spiritual beliefs. This shift in perspective could result in different sexual preferences or desires.
It's difficult to say exactly how life-threatening danger affects relational priorities and sexual desire without further study.
It seems clear that there is a complex interplay between fear, intimacy, and sexuality that deserves closer investigation. Understanding this connection could help us better understand human nature and improve our ability to cope with dangerous situations.
How does exposure to life-threatening danger recalibrate relational priorities and sexual desire?
Researchers have found that humans tend to value relationships more highly when exposed to life-threatening situations. One study showed that men who survived a near-death experience were more likely to report being happier in their romantic relationship than those who did not experience such an event. The researchers suggest that this is because facing death highlights the importance of human connections and forces us to prioritize our relationships over other things.