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What exactly is a "bad orgasm"?
Bad orgasms are defined as a non-positive, non-pleasurable, or negative orgasm.
And according to a 2019 study published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior, “bad” orgasms can negatively affect a person’s relationships, sexuality, and psychological health.
It’s important to note that bad orgasms can occur during consensual sex or acts of assault. Here, we’ll be focusing on the former.
Bad ≠ painful ≠ incomplete
Although some might qualify painful (dysorgasmia) or incomplete orgasms as “not good” or “bad,” the term “bad orgasm” specifically refers to an orgasm that:
- feels negative
- occurs during a pressure-filled encounter
- has negative effects on your psychological health or relationship
What should you do if you experience one?
Your next steps will largely depend on the environment and circumstances that the bad orgasm took place.
In the moment
Immediately after it happens, breathe.
This will help downregulate your central nervous system, which is likely going haywire after the bad O, explains Heather Jeffcoat, DPT, author of “Sex Without Pain: A Self-Treatment Guide to the Sex Life You Deserve.”
If you’re in physical pain, she recommends applying a hot pack to the lower abdomen.
[This will] help relieve any muscle tension that can be associated with bad and painful orgasm, says Jeffcoat.
