Hypersexual disorder, also known as hypersexuality, is a time-consuming, fantasy-based disorder. It’s a pattern of behavior which involves an intense preoccupation with sexual fantasies, urges and activities. This often leads to adverse consequences including significant distress and the inability to participate in social, professional and other important functions.
The disorder was under consideration for inclusion in the 2013 edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (the DSM-5) and although it was rejected by the American Psychiatric Association, the disorder has become widely recognized by mental health experts across the world.
What are hypersexual disorders?
Those suffering with a hypersexual disorder will experience multiple, unsuccessful attempts to control or diminish the amount of time they spend engaging in sexual fantasies, urges, and behaviors. These behaviors are typically a response to undiagnosed mental health conditions or stressful life events.
Hypersexual disorders types include:
- Recurrent and intense sexual fantasies, urges and behavior. An excessive amount of time may be spent planning for and engaging in such activities.
- Repetitively engaging in sexual fantasies, urges and behaviors as a response to dysphoric mood states such as anxiety, depression or boredom.
- Engaging in such activities as a response to stressful life events.
- Repetitive but unsuccessful efforts to control or significantly reduce behaviors.
- Having no regard to the risk of physical or emotional harm to oneself or others.
What causes hypersexual disorders?
A number of factors are thought to increase the likelihood of someone suffering from such a disorder including:
- Having high levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine
- A history of physical/sexual abuse
- A family history of substance abuse
- Androgen imbalance
- The prevalence of other disorders which can increase libido (such as bipolar disorder)
Hypersexual disorders symptoms
For a valid diagnosis of hypersexual disorder to be established, symptoms must persist for a period of at least 6 months and occur independently of mania or a medical condition. While symptoms will of course vary, some of the most common signs of a hypersexual disorder include:
- Excessive masturbation
- Obsessing about sex to the point that it interferes with your life
- Spending a significant amount of time planning your sexual activity
- Frequently viewing pornography or using sexually explicit websites or other online services
- Having extramarital affairs or frequently having sex with multiple partners
- Frequent one-night stands with total strangers or prostitutes
- Being emotionally detached from sexual partners
- Frequent sex without using protection because you don’t care about the potential consequences
- Engaging in sexual behaviors which directly conflict your personal values. Even though you know your behavior is morally wrong, you still can’t seem to stop
- Obsessing about a sexual partner who is unattainable – this type of fixation may lead to stalking, sexually harassing the individual or using violent behavior towards them
- Frequently engaging in paraphilia (sexual behaviors which are considered unusual, distasteful, or unacceptable). This may include exhibitionism, voyeurism, sadism, masochism and in serious cases, pedophilia.
- The inability to stop despite facing serious consequences. This is often the case for many sufferers and it’s unlikely they will ever be able to stop unless they undergo the correct treatment.
If you would like more information about hypersexual disorders or sex addiction, please feel free to contact Toronto Trauma and Addiction Counselling in the strictest of confidence and we will be happy to help.
Alternatively, our sexual addiction screening test (SAST) can help to determine whether or not you’re displaying sexually compulsive or addictive behavior. This test has been designed in conjunction with hospitals, therapist, community groups and treatment programs and provides a profile of responses which helps to determine the difference between addictive and non-addictive behaviors.
