The difference between Orgasm and Climax

The psychology of sex and intimacy is fascinating, so let's dive into the difference between orgasm, climax, and pleasure itself in mind and body today as we answer some important questions: What’s the difference between orgasm and climax? Is there a connection between sex and mental health? 

Let’s talk it out!

Is there a difference between orgasm and climax?

Despite having used these terms interchangeably for most of our lives, research indicates that there is a difference between orgasm and climax. So, what makes them different? And how do we tell them apart in our own pleasure-seeking experiences?

Let’s start with the definitions:

Climax is likely the experience you think of when you use either word. It’s the pinnacle of pleasure—the very peak of the experience that brings on muscle contractions, pulse racing, skin tingling sensation. Orgasm, on the contrary, is the build of pleasure that comes before it, as well as the climax and the hyper-sensitized state that can often follow it. 

If you have a penis 

For men and people with a penis, a climax occurs when you ejaculate. After a climax, your penis may feel ultra sensitive and being touched may feel uncomfortable. The moments before the climax, when pleasure is still intense, as well as those sensitive moments after, are all a part of the orgasmic experience. Men may also experience climax or orgasm through stimulation of the prostate, located in the anus, just behind the penis. 

If you have a vulva

For women and people with a vulva, a climax may not be noted by a physical signal like ejaculation (though it does happen for up to half of women, some of the time). Instead a climax is characterized by rhythmic muscle contractions of your pelvic floor. It may also include tingling in your breasts or nipples. Women may find that they’re able to experience climax or heightened orgasmic pleasure through stimulation of their nipples and breasts alone. 

Let’s think of intimacy like telling a story 

The experiences of orgasm and climax may be individual, but they are each part of the process of physical pleasure. You may find this pleasure alone or with your partner, but in either circumstance, you can change the way you relate to your pleasure by connecting it to intimacy. 

Each sexual act is a part of the intimacy story as much as it is a part of the pleasure experience, building and moving the arc of your connection. Intimacy as a story allows both orgasm and climax to take up space without the pleasurable experience of touch, connection and arousal to be tied to a single act. Instead, they become a part of the story where, even after the climax, there is more to share. Intimacy does not have to end or begin with these acts, but instead exists in tandem with them. 

The science of sex: Neurotransmitters are awesome

During sex and arousal, your body experiences several phases of arousal. This is why the story metaphor for intimacy works so well. These phases are dictated by the stimulation you receive from all of your senses (as well as your emotions and intellect) but there’s more to it. 

Desire and the brain 

Your brain plays a bigger part than you realize in the orgasmic process of sex and intimacy. Neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin are released at different stages of the arousal process. From the way you feel desire to what excites you (hello vasopressin), neurotransmitters have a role in the natural rhythm of your sexual experience. These brain hormones tell your body to increase your heart rate, the blood flow to areas receiving pleasure in order to increase sensitivity, and when to increase lubrication for more enjoyable sensation. They even dictate how you experience your climax as they activate your body and various parts of your brain to enhance your sexual experience. 

Sex and mental health 

The impact of your climax extends beyond your sex organs. The impact sex, pleasure, and the experience of orgasm have on your mental health can vary widely. Stress, anxiety and low mood may cause feelings of low or no desire for sex or intimacy, due to higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol. On the contrary, those very same feelings could elicit an opposite response as your body produces additional hormones like oxytocin to help you cope with stress. 

Both circumstances can lead to increased arousal and sex drive. You may find that the impact of your mental health on your sex drive, and vice versa, changes at different stages of your life. But if you’re noticing a correlation that is disruptive or concerning, it’s appropriate to speak to your licensed mental health therapist who is trained in healthy sexuality or your medical physician for support. 

If you have more questions about your experience with managing sex and mental health impacts in your life or relationships, Resilience Counseling is currently accepting new clients in the Akron, Ohio area. Reach out today for more information.