Ep 4: Is stress keeping pleasure away?

Episode four of Pleasure People asks how stress effects our ability to feel good at all and makes the case for pleasure as a stress reliever. Sex Researcher Emily Nagoski breaks down the brakes and accelerator running in every brain (the dual control model), explains why stress doesn't cancel out pleasure so much as slam the brakes on it entirely and covers what dopamine, orgasm brain scans, and warm socks have to do with it. Four participants track their own stress: Binx leaning on her vibrator through wildfire season and grief, Mary using masturbation to regain a sense of agency in her body, Sueann treating her pleasure as a stress gauge, and Julie Rae treating pleasure as ritual to get through cancer treatments and grief. Pleasure People is hosted and produced by Danielle Bezalel Executive Producer: Sarah Tomchesson Lead producer: Kate Helen Downey Music supervision, sound design, and mixing: Kelly Kramarik at Maven Post Media Our theme music was composed by Julie McCarthy Pleasure People was made possible by the financial support of Vibratex, Inc. Thank you to sex educator and author Emily Nagoski, phD for appearing on this episode as our expert guest. And a huge thank you to the participants in the Magic Wand study who shared their experiences in this episode.