Oh, rats? Yeah baby yeah

Newsday columnist Susan Cheever has some interesting things to say about the latest research into libido-boosting nasal spray:

A new sex spray? You dirty rats

Based on the compound Melanotan II, PT-141 has the ability to light up the nervous system like a Christmas tree in December, and it may be available as soon as 2007. (Melanotan's erotic properties were discovered accidentally when it was being tested as a sunless tanning agent.)

~ snip ~

The hundreds of rats and the 300 men who have already participated in the clinical trials are reportedly over the moon. They say it makes them hum. It's a 21st century Love Potion No. 9.

Instead of smelling like turpentine and tasting like India ink, PT-141 is a pleasant nasal spray. What could be better?

She goes on to voice her reservations about such a thing. For example:

In my experience, sexual problems often indicate that something is out of balance at a deeper level. Although good sex doesn't always mean that you have fallen in love, bad sex almost always means that something's wrong. If we override bad sex with a pill or a nasal spray, aren't we obscuring our real problems, embracing the unexamined life?

And here is where I find myself thinking hrm, I'm probably supposed to feel concern about our tendency to seek a pill for everything, and to wonder if a desire pill will just help us mask deeper problems in pursuit of temporary pleasure. But instead, I keep thinking ... so what?

I know that as a sex-tech columnist I'm expected to rev high, to have a libido that is the envy of all normal women, but I don't know that I do. I love sex and I do something sexual for myself every day (other than write about it, I mean).

But I have days, sometimes an entire week, where I have to muster up the mood. I get the worst PMS on the planet and sex is not my top priority during that (this) week unless I force myself to make it so. (In case you're wondering, food is, preferably crunchy and salty. Mmmm.)

In other words, I would LOVE a pleasant nasal spray that would turn me on quickly so that I didn't have to work so hard to Get There when I'm too stressed, too hormonal, too busy, or too Whatever to get myself there easily.

Because once I get there, I'm soooo glad I did.

As for those deeper problems? Sometimes just getting over that inital hump – er, no pun – can give you practice at the good stuff, and those deeper problems start to go away on their own.

As for "embracing the unexamined life," doesn't that sound kind of relaxing, too? Admit it ...