This time I propose to touch on this intimate and controversial topic, which you may have heard about for the first time in the news about the lives of celebrities. It is controversial not only in the eyes of the public, but also from a medical (psychiatry) point of view – specialists still argue whether such a diagnosis exists at all, because, undeniably, someone could use it as an excuse for sidesteps or chaotic sexual contacts. So far, there is also a certain chaos in terms of labels – sex addiction, hypersexuality, compulsive or impulsive sexual behavior, sexual impulsivity. Some researchers see this tendency as a behavior regulation problem, while other experts think the behavior may stem from a higher sex drive or may be an impulse control problem. For these reasons, there is no exact data on the prevalence of the problem – it could be between 3 and 10 percent of adults. Anyway, it is planned to include such a diagnosis as compulsive sexual behavior in the latest International Classification of Diseases .
In the case of hypersexuality, a person fantasizes and thinks about sex, and also feels the need to engage in it more often than usual. These individuals may indulge in pornography, masturbation, paid sex, among other things, and may have multiple partners, but as a result, these individuals experience distress at work and in relationships, often experiencing anxiety, tension, restlessness, and internal conflict.
How to recognize it? Symptoms!
It is important to note that sexuality and sexual behavior are a normal, healthy part of life and many people actively choose to be with multiple sexual partners or seek out different sexual experiences.
It is also important to take into account the role of culture and mentality in the concept of hypersexuality – in cultures where sexuality is perceived more freely, there is a different scale of values and greater tolerance for different manifestations of sexuality.
Hypersexuality becomes a problem when it causes the individual significant distress and/or places them at risk of harm to themselves or others.
Although the diagnosis was not included in the classification until now, these can be considered conditional diagnostic criteria for hypersexuality if the disorder lasts for more than 6 months:
- recurrent, intense sexual fantasies, desires and/or behaviors;
- this behavior persistently interferes with daily duties and other activities;
- it is provoked by dysphoric mood (anxiety, depression, boredom, irritability) or stressful life events;
- the person tries consistently, but unsuccessfully, to control or reduce sexual fantasies, desires, or behaviors;
- Engaging in sexual activity without regard for physical or emotional harm to self or others.
Reasons!
As we mentioned above, hypersexuality can be associated with other disorders. People tend to avoid difficult emotions, unable to express them, such as sadness or shame, and seek temporary relief – sexual fantasies, behaviors and relationships. Therefore, it should be noted that, similar to the disorders described in other topics, increased sexual desire can also mask, for example, depression, anxiety and/or stress.
Since this topic is relatively new, the causes have not been fully explored, but it should also be mentioned that increased or age-inappropriate sexual behavior in children or adolescents may indicate a traumatic experience, increased stress or mental illness.
Important to distinguish! – if hypersexuality is observed relatively recently, and also in other cases – it is necessary to evaluate whether its cause cannot be sought elsewhere.
Similar manifestations may be present at:
- Damage to the brain (especially frontal lobe cortex) – delirium, dementia, brain injury or damage;
- in the case of Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, Pick’s, Tourette’s diseases;
- In the case of hypertestosteroneism, this condition is attributable to endocrine disorders in women (for example, polycystic ovary syndrome, use of specific medications, certain hormonally active tumors (for example, ovary).
Taking into account that the above mentioned are serious disorders, it is important to reveal to the doctor as much detailed information as possible about yourself at the beginning of the treatment and to perform primary examinations – blood tests, for women – a gynecologist’s consultation, with the aim of ruling out an increased concentration of male hormones in the blood and disorders related to it, such as also rule out neurological disorders that, as I mentioned above, can cause or mimic hypersexuality.
Panacea - Help!
The most recommended help here is psychotherapy – the goal is to learn to understand your feelings, to reveal them, to understand internal conflicts and traumatic experiences that the human mind may have chosen to “hide” behind the veil of hypersexuality.
Help also includes couples psychotherapy if this problem has affected mutual relations with the spouse; rebuilding meaningful relationships, identifying triggers for sexual thoughts and behaviors, and finding less destructive ways (behavior) to eliminate these triggers.
Author of the article: doctor psychiatrist Juta Jaudzema
Used sources:
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/conditions/hypersexuality-sex-addictio
- Journal of Behavioral Addictions 8(2), pp. 242–248 (2019) DOI: 10.1556/2006.8.2019.23 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3107947
- https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/27315
- AJ Reid Finlayson , John Sealy ; Peter R. Martin (2001) The Differential Diagnosis of Problematic Hypersexuality, Sexual Addiction ; Compulsivity: The Journal of Treatment ; Prevention, 8:3-4, 241-251, DOI: 10.1080/10720160175345994