Orgasms that occur under pressure are often described as being less pleasurable.

"Bad" orgasms can reduce sexual desire and negatively impact relationships.

Gender and sexual identity are linked to unique sources of orgasmic pressure.

How does it feel to have an orgasm? If you’re like most people, you probably said that it feels pretty darn good. This makes sense because orgasm is a term we frequently associate with pleasure.

In fact, pleasure is actually embedded in the definition of orgasm in many dictionaries, which describe orgasm as both “intense excitement” and “rapid pleasurable release.” In light of this, it’s no wonder that many of us use the word “orgasmic” to describe highly pleasurable experiences that have nothing to do with sex, such as eating a tasty dessert.

However, while orgasms are indeed pleasurable experiences most of the time, a study published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior suggests that it’s possible to have a “bad” orgasm during a consensual sexual encounter.

A Study of "Bad" Orgasms

For this study, 726 participants were recruited online to complete a survey about their previous experiences with sex and orgasm. On average, participants were 28 years old and most were involved in romantic relationships. The sample was diverse and inclusive with respect to both gender identity (8.8% identified as non-binary) and sexual identity (58.8% identified as something other than heterosexual/straight).

Participants were asked whether they had ever had an orgasm during a consensual encounter in which........

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