Betty Dodson with Carlin Ross

Better Orgasms. Better World.

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This month's Playboy magazine has a 5 page article on "Traci" - The Woman Who Could Think Herself Off.  Becky Chalker brought it up last night over dinner and, knowing I had the latest issue, I couldn't wait to finish the Times and get into my Playboy.  Suffice it to say Betty wasn't amused by women feeling even more pressure to orgasm - this time without even touching their bodies.  I tried to keep an open mind.

"Traci" is a 30 something career woman who discovered her talent while her marriage was falling apart.  One night chatting online she revealed that she was so horny that she could orgasm if someone even touched her arm - surprise surprise - her male friend rose to the occasion and cybersexed her to orgasm.  She claims that she couldn't touch herself because she was still married *sigh* and that she got off chatting about her fantasies.  I will admit that cybersex is quite hot and I've been able to work up a head of steam without touching myself although I didn't orgasm until I did.  

Fast forward to "Traci" in a MRI cylinder with Dr. Komisaruk asking her to think about "tapping her clit" and watching her brain scan light up with the signs of orgasm.  Was it a full, real orgasm?  Yes, according to her brain scan.  What's the most striking thing here is that the female orgasm is much more complex than the male orgasm.  Three nerves activate orgasm in women which is why female orgasmic response is so varied (male orgasm is activated by only one nerve).  And orgasm reduces pain in women by 50% (not so for men because of the one nerve thing).  Caveat: Dr. Komisaruk started this research during his wife's prolonged illness and ultimate death.  He wanted to lessen her pain.  This lead to his research into the neurology of orgasm.  

What "Traci" was experiencing is referred to as the centrifugal control of sensory input which means the brain can instruct the body to respond to stimulation that's not really there.  Betty could debate this phenom all day.  I'm not sure where I fall in the argument.  But I do believe that, as women, we need to engage our minds as well as our bodies to achieve our orgasm potential.  Fantasy is more important that most realize.  You could try to think yourself off but why not masturbate while thinking really dirty thoughts and have the best of both? 

During her last MRI (and after the 4th orgasm), Dr. Komisaruk asked "Traci" which was more stimulating thinking about her g-spot or her clitoris.  Her answer: "my clitoris".  I knew Betty would be pleased.