We all have a different sex drive. Some people love sex so much, and others are very open regarding it. But if that kind of preoccupation involves disturbance to others, you might have a sex addiction or hypersexuality. Hypersexuality is more than a high sex drive, and it involves sex addiction. This kind of disorder is defined as an excessive obsession with sexual fantasy, including non-intimate sex, compulsive masturbation, objectified partner sex, romantic intensity, and pornography for more than six months.

This disorder is not new. Do you know that around 12 to 30 million people in the US experience hypersexuality? It is affecting both men and women. In fact, it may relate to Juanism, excessive sex drive, nymphomania, and many more. This only shows that sexual activity and desire is natural as human as we are. Sometimes, this becomes usual in society. But sex addiction is a disorder that should be given importance.

Hypersexuality is very controversial, given its limited pieces of evidence. It cannot be exactly defined what constitutes excessive because experts find it hard to measure it. This disorder is commonly described in the subjective viewpoints, such as based on culture, personal views, and views of a certain society. Besides, they also find it difficult to be objective about it.

This pattern of behaviors and thoughts continue, even if:

You already attempted to correct yourself from this obsessive sexual behavior;
You made promises to yourself, as well as to others that you will change this certain behavior;
You experience adverse consequences in life, including physical and emotional health issues, relationship stability, and career problems.

Symptoms of Hypersexuality

Indeed, it is normal to have different sexual behaviors. It is even an indication that you are healthy. But the excessive obsession of sex is a disorder that can cause you distress and make you at risk of hurting yourself or someone else.

Here are the signs you have hypersexuality:

You have intense sexual behaviors, urges, and fantasies, and these are usually recurrent.
This kind of behavior, urge, or fantasy interrupts your responsibilities and obligations.
This happens during a dysphoric mood state, such as numbness, mood swings, sadness, heaviness, boredom, depression, and anxiety.
You exert effort to control or minimize this behavior, urge, or fantasy, but it seemed not successful.
You keep on doing this behavior, urge, or fantasy, without minding on the possible harm to self or others.
The intensity or frequency of this behavior, urge, or fantasy causes great impairment or distress.

Hypersexuality is also directed to anxiety and depression. Some people tend to engage in this kind of behavior, urge, or fantasy to be relieved from shame or sadness. Thus, some make this an excuse to cover their anxiety, depression, and stress.

Several studies also show the link between hypersexuality and risk-taking. Sex addicts tend to take risks even if it has health-related consequences, including physical injury, sexually transmitted infection, and emotional consequences.

Here are the activities related to sexual addiction

Multiple sexual partners or affairs and one-night stands
Cybersex
Voyeurism
Exhibitionism
Practicing prostitution or visiting prostitutes
Compulsive masturbation
Practicing unsafe sex

This kind of behavior is a disorder that should be treated. Otherwise, it will give you an intense feeling of low self-esteem and guilt. Some even experience severe depression and anxiety.

Other complications may include:

Financial problems
Family relationship problems
Legal consequences, such as in exhibitionism
Sexually transmitted infection

Causes of Hypersexuality

The main cause of hypersexuality is not yet clear. But the reward center of the brain is responsible for experiencing addiction. Addiction occurs when your brain perceives, such as a means of survival.

Since sexual acts allow your brain to produce dopamine, a feel-good chemical, this allows you to feel the pleasure. And such pleasure is mistaken by your brain as survival mechanisms. There is a possibility that the center of morality and logic of the brain is impaired by the midbrain if you have hypersexuality.

Another study shows the link between having a dysfunctional family and addictive sexual behavior. Chances are, sexual addicts used to be victims of abuse. People who used to have hypersexuality reported that addiction is also prevalent among their family members. This addiction is not just with sex, but it might also be other kinds of addiction.

Is it Hypersexuality or Advanced Libido?

It may be hard to distinguish hypersexuality from advanced libido. But the two main features of hypersexuality can help doctors distinguish this from the other.

If you consistently fail to control this behavior, urge, or fantasy; and
If you still continue such behavior, urge, or fantasy despite causing harmful consequences to self or others.

Others have formulated criteria similar to substance addiction. To diagnose a person with hypersexuality, he should possess the following traits within one year, such as:

If the behavior, urge, or fantasy requires an increase in intensity and frequency to reach the wanted effect;
If maintaining the same intensity and frequency fails to yield the wanted effect;
If such behavior, urge, or fantasy is discontinued, it leads to withdrawal syndrome, including psychological or physiological changes; and
To avoid or be relieved from this withdrawal syndrome, the same behavior, urge, or fantasy is engaged again.

Conclusion

Hypersexuality is a disorder in which a person is engaged in sexual addiction. This is an excessive obsession with sexual fantasy wherein a person who suffers such engages in activities like having multiple sexual partners or affairs and one-night stands, cybersex, voyeurism, exhibitionism, practicing prostitution or visiting prostitutes, compulsive masturbation, and practicing unsafe sex. The cause of this disorder may not be clearly determined, but experts point out reasons such as changes in brain pathways, hormonal imbalances, and brain-related conditions.

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