sexual drive

Meaning of sexual drive: Sexual drive describes a person's motivation or desire for sexual activity, which can vary widely and change over time.

Definition of sexual drive

Sexual drive, commonly called libido, describes a person's motivation or desire for sexual activity. It is influenced by a combination of hormonal, psychological, and relational factors, and it naturally varies not only between individuals but also within the same person over time, shaped by factors such as stress, overall health, medication, and life circumstances.

Hormones, including testosterone and estrogen, play a role in regulating sexual drive in both men and women, though the relationship between hormone levels and desire is not always straightforward, since psychological and situational factors can influence sexual drive independently of hormone levels. Certain medical conditions and medications, including some antidepressants and blood pressure drugs, are recognized causes of a change in sexual drive.

Because sexual drive varies so widely as a normal characteristic, a low or high level compared with a general average is not, on its own, considered abnormal unless it represents a distressing change from a person's own usual pattern.