A phenomenological approach to the thoughts, contexts, themes, and benefits of mental orgasms in women

The purpose of this study was to understand the phenomenon of mental orgasms in women. There is extensive literature regarding the female physical orgasm; but, there exist few studies specifically related to the female mental orgasm, that is, a purposeful orgasm without physical stimulation. Recently, research in functional magnetic resonance imaging of the brain has measured, thus verifying, mental orgasms in women. Expanding the research by employing a theoretical framework shaped by the hermeneutical, transcendental, and feminist paradigms will help fill the gap in literature to describe the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of women who achieve mental orgasms. Women who have practiced mental orgasms for over 1 year participated in the qualitative phenomenological study. The focus of the study was to help clarify the phenomenon, context, essence of the experience, descriptive statements, themes and benefits of mental orgasms. Participants were individually queried using an interview worksheet with open-ended questions about their sexual history and experience of mental orgasms and the data were merged and analyzed using NVivo 8 to expectantly bring about themed structural and textural descriptions of the essence of mental orgasms. Results show that mental orgasms were described as another orgasm type that is easily and quickly allowed to occur in a short period of time and have benefits of being sexually fulfilling as well as increasing mental and physical health. This may be an important contribution to the existing literature and could enhance social change initiatives by influencing mental, sexual, and physical health care practices for women. The results of the study may also contribute to treatments in inorgasmia, pain management, stress reduction, or other mental, sexual, and physical health concerns.