Glossary term

Spontaneous desire

Also known as spontaneous libidoout of the blue desire

Spontaneous desire is wanting intimacy seemingly out of nowhere, before any stimulation — one of two normal, equally healthy ways desire shows up.

The gist

Spontaneous desire arrives on its own, without an obvious trigger — the 'in the mood out of nowhere' experience. It's often contrasted with responsive desire, which builds in response to touch or context. Neither is better; knowing which pattern fits you and a partner reduces a lot of needless worry.

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