▁the ▁internal ▁fl uct u ation ▁of ▁h orm ones , ▁can ▁influence ▁sexual ▁ar ous al . ▁ ▁Sex ual ▁ar ous al ▁has ▁several ▁stages ▁and ▁may ▁not ▁lead ▁to ▁any ▁actual ▁sexual ▁activity , ▁beyond ▁a ▁mental ▁ar ous al ▁and ▁the ▁phys i ological ▁changes ▁that ▁accomp any ▁it . ▁Given ▁sufficient ▁sexual ▁stim ulation , ▁sexual ▁ar ous al ▁in ▁humans ▁reaches ▁its ▁clim ax ▁during ▁an ▁org asm . ▁It ▁may ▁also ▁be ▁purs ued ▁for ▁its ▁own ▁sake , ▁even ▁in ▁the ▁absence ▁of ▁an ▁org asm . ▁ ▁Term in ology ▁There ▁are ▁several ▁inform al ities , ▁terms ▁and ▁phr ases ▁to ▁describe ▁sexual ▁ar ous al ▁including ▁horn y , ▁turned ▁on , ▁r andy , ▁steam y , ▁and ▁l ust ful . ▁Things ▁that ▁precip itate ▁human ▁sexual ▁ar ous al ▁are ▁called ▁er otic ▁stim uli ▁and ▁col lo qu ial ly ▁known ▁as ▁turn - ons . ▁ ▁E rot ic ▁stim uli ▁ ▁Depending ▁on ▁the ▁situation , ▁a ▁person ▁can ▁be ▁sex ually ▁ar oused ▁by ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁factors , ▁both ▁physical ▁and ▁mental . ▁A ▁person ▁may ▁be ▁sex ually ▁ar oused ▁by ▁another ▁person ▁or ▁by ▁particular ▁aspects ▁of ▁that ▁person , ▁or ▁by ▁a ▁non - human ▁object . ▁The ▁physical ▁stim ulation ▁of ▁an ▁er ogen ous ▁zone ▁or ▁acts ▁of ▁fore play ▁can ▁result ▁in ▁ar ous al , ▁especially ▁if ▁it ▁is ▁accompanied ▁with ▁the ▁anticip ation ▁of ▁im min