Question about arousal(females only please)

[Amandylinee]

Hi,
I would highly prefer if only females read the following and responded. And please bear with me as I struggle with scrupulosity.
In the past week I’ve been struggling with arousal. I believe I am PMS and I’ve read arousal is very common when you’re PMS. It just feels like every time I look at something I get aroused. For instance, if I innocently think a pure thought about my crush or his name comes up on my news feed or on my facebook timeline, I get aroused. Sometimes I look on the group of 6 friends or 8 friends just to see if he comes up. Is it wrong to put yourself in a situation where you know you have the chance of getting aroused but you don’t want nor enjoy the arousal? This has been a huge struggle for me, especially this past week and this isn’t the first time it’s happened. I want to receive the Eucharist at Midnight Mass for Christmas tonight but I don’t know if I should.
Also, are impure thoughts mortal sins only if you think them for the purpose of enjoyment and arousal?
Thanks and God Bless,
Amanda

 

[englishredrose]

relax, am female before you question me
Are you feeling aroused because you think it is wrong and that is adding to the excitment as such? If you believed that it is perfectly normal would you then relax and not feel aroused. I will add that I am Anglican and don’t have the same intake on sin and confession as you guys do but I do understand how that if one thinks it is sin and the dangers of it being sin seemingly makes it more exciting. Thats one of the ironies of sin. of etc.

It a perfectly normal bodily response. What you do with it is what the sin is. But if knowing it is a sin is what is causing the arousal then in time you will find your own way of not thinking it a sin but pefectly normal and it will not be a problem for you and will no longer be a sin because you deal with it normally rather than responding to the sin.

It may be helpful if you could find a spiritual director whom you can really talk about such things to and work out what are sins and what are scurpulous thoughts etc. You will learn then in time.

 

[PowderBear]

…are impure thoughts mortal sins only if you think them for the purpose of enjoyment and arousal?
→ Humans are wired to be sexual beings, and these sorts of thoughts and feelings that “pop up” are natural. They, in and of themselves, are not sins. However, your response to them can be a sin. If you indulge in them for the sake of getting aroused, talk to a confessor about it. Simply having the thought and arousal come about in the first place, however, is not a sin.

Is it wrong to put yourself in a situation where you know you have the chance of getting aroused but you don’t want nor enjoy the arousal?
→ Ask the confessor.

I want to receive the Eucharist at Midnight Mass for Christmas tonight but I don’t know if I should.
→ Every priest I’ve asked specifically about this has said to go to confession, but if you cannot go due to something or other, to take communion anyways, because your sin is not done out of spite toward God, but out of weakness, and the strengthening grace of the Eucharist is what you need to fight the temptation. But they also say to go to confession as soon as you can for the strengthening grace it gives as well. This was, however, in response to my own situations. I believe the same would be true for you, but I cannot be sure.
Therefore, I personally suggest going to confession anyways to hear from a priest himself, because he has the authority to say things that are more tailored to your situation. You can go to mass an hour or 45 minutes early, depending on how crowded it gets, and find the priest and simply ask for a quick confession. I have done this before once, and the priest was happy to help me.

Happy trails. I hope it turns out well and you can find some peace.

 

[Julia_Mae]

Hi,
I would highly prefer if only females read the following and responded. And please bear with me as I struggle with scrupulosity.
In the past week I’ve been struggling with arousal. I believe I am PMS and I’ve read arousal is very common when you’re PMS. It just feels like every time I look at something I get aroused. For instance, if I innocently think a pure thought about my crush or his name comes up on my news feed or on my facebook timeline, I get aroused. Sometimes I look on the group of 6 friends or 8 friends just to see if he comes up. Is it wrong to put yourself in a situation where you know you have the chance of getting aroused but you don’t want nor enjoy the arousal? This has been a huge struggle for me, especially this past week and this isn’t the first time it’s happened. I want to receive the Eucharist at Midnight Mass for Christmas tonight but I don’t know if I should.
Also, are impure thoughts mortal sins only if you think them for the purpose of enjoyment and arousal?
Thanks and God Bless,
Amanda

It’s very normal around ovulation to have a spike in hormones that cause us to become aroused more easily. I think instead of trying to avoid any possible triggers, like a picture, it makes sense to redirect your thoughts very purposefully at these times when you become aware you are straying into sexual fantasy territory. That it happens isn’t a moral issue, it’s a biological one. What you choose to do with that can be a moral issue but you’d have to be seriously intending to indulge yourself in wild sexual fantasy. .

IMO, you have not sinned at all, you are just a normal healthy young woman with normal healthy responses. Please go to Mass and receive the Lord with joy.