Home Men's Health Is Hypersexuality Considered A Mental Illness?

Is Hypersexuality Considered A Mental Illness?

by Glenn Fitzpatrick
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There’s a thin line between having an active libido and hypersexuality. The differentiating factor is compulsiveness. When your urge to engage in sexual activities is already compulsive and you can hardly control it, then you could be hypersexual. Being hypersexual is totally on a different level than just having a supercharged sex drive.

There’s a huge debate among experts on whether hypersexuality should be considered a mental disorder. It’s not listed as one in the diagnosis manual that psychiatrists use, but compulsive sexual behavior is recognized as a disease by the World Health Organization. Continue reading to find out more about hypersexuality.

Overview

Hypersexuality is viewed as a form of compulsive behavior. Experts have proposed that hypersexual disorder should be included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is what mental health professionals use to diagnose mental illnesses. However, that proposal was shot down.

Nevertheless, there are many psychiatrists who strongly believe that being hypersexual should be recognized as a mental disorder. According to these experts, hypersexuality is characterized by sexual behavior such as excessive masturbation and sexual fantasies.

The sexual urges of someone who is hypersexual are considered beyond normal. There’s a pattern of consistent failure in controlling these repetitive and intense sexual urges, even when the sexual pursuit doesn’t bring about satisfaction.

Clinically, experts analyze the sexual behavior and check if it has been going for at least six months and if it is causing the patient distress or impairment.

What are the Symptoms of Hypersexuality?

When compulsive sexual behavior causes distress or puts you at risk of causing harm to yourself, then it becomes really problematic. Hypersexuality is typically characterized by the following symptoms:

  • Recurrent sexual behaviors, urges, or fantasies

Hypersexuality is typically associated with recurring sexual behaviors such as masturbation or engaging in sex with multiple partners. Recurring sexual fantasies and sexual urges may also be present.

Other sexual behaviors associated with hypersexuality include excessive usage of porn and engaging in sex for pay. Although a normal person with an active libido may also enjoy engaging in these sexual activities, someone who is hypersexual tends to do it compulsively.

  • Compulsive sexual behaviors are interfering with daily activities and obligations

Fantasizing about your partner or favorite porn star actress is totally normal. However, when intense sexual fantasies take up most of your time, then that can cause a lot of problems.

A hypersexual person, for instance, may watch porn or masturbate for several hours every day. When you are hypersexual, the urge to engage in these activities is so strong that you will find it difficult to control yourself, despite being aware that if you pursue your sexual urges, you will be neglecting your daily tasks and obligations.

  • Engages in compulsive sexual behaviors in response to negative mood states

For someone who’s hypersexual, the urge to engage in sexual fantasies or behaviors is usually compulsive. Once they feel the impulse, they’re unable to control their behavior and they’re compelled to pursue the sexual act that they’re addicted to.

However, the urge usually becomes stronger when they’re confronted with negative emotions such as anxiety or depression. When faced with a stressful situation, the hypersexual person usually reacts by engaging in his or her favored sexual activity. A hypersexual person may pursue his sexual urges as a means to escape stress, loneliness, or anxiety.

  • Disregards potential harm to self or others

When the sexual urge is so uncontrollable, a hypersexual person would continue to engage in sexual behaviors, despite the fact that he is aware such behaviors may cause harm to himself or to other people.

A hypersexual who is addicted to masturbation, for example, may masturbate in front of other people or in inappropriate places. He may leave his work station to masturbate even though he’s aware that it could endanger his job.

Those who are addicted to sex may relentlessly pursue sexual activities while disregarding possible health risks. A hypersexual who is addicted to having sex with multiple partners may neglect using protection during sex, thus putting himself at risk of sexually transmitted diseases.

  • Repetitive failure to control sexual behavior

It’s common to see hypersexual people trying to limit or control their behavior but failing to do so. At some point, they become aware that their behavior is doing them a lot of harm but they just can’t stop.

They may be able to limit their sexual behavior for a time, but stressful situations and other triggers like anxiety may cause them to give in to their sexual urges.

Are You Hypersexual?

man and woman having an affair

When you’re sexually active and you enjoy engaging in sexual activities so much, you may feel like you just want to do it over and over again. That could be because your sex drive is extremely high.

If you’re taking Male UltraCore, for example, you get to enjoy a huge boost in your libido. Plus, Male UltraCore contains powerful aphrodisiacs, and that can make you want to have sex all the time.

It’s healthy and normal to want to enjoy sex regularly, especially if you’re in a committed relationship. Even if you’re not in a relationship, it’s normal to want to have sex with someone. It only becomes problematic when your sexual urges are no longer controllable and you feel compelled to do it.

If you’re worried that your sexual behavior is already bordering on hypersexuality, you need to objectively assess whether you’re still able to control your urges. You also need to examine if your sexual behavior is already causing you distress or if it’s already damaging your relationships, causing trouble at work, or putting your health at risk.

If you think that your daily life is already suffering because you’re spending too much time masturbating, fantasizing, watching porn, or pursuing sex, then you should consider seeking help from a mental health professional.

There are also numerous support groups that provide help to those struggling with sex addiction and hypersexuality. If you’re not yet ready to speak with a mental health professional about your sexual urges, you may want to think about joining anonymous support groups.

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