Many people enjoy sex, and wish to engage in it more often than they normally do, but persistent sexual desires, thoughts, and behavior can become unwelcome and problematic. A subset of individuals who become preoccupied with sexual fantasies and urges act on these impulses while feeling that they have no control over those actions—repeatedly sending explicit texts and images, for example, or attempting to fondle others without consent. This pattern of behavior is often referred to as hypersexua
The Debate over Sex Addiction
Some critics of the idea that sexual addiction is a psychological disorder argue that the behavior may simply be a manifestation of depression or anxiety . The sexual activity could be an attempt to remedy that psychological distress, even though it tends to create its own array of negative consequences, from financial problems to the disruption of relationships and careers. Many clinicians believe that the best treatment for worries about sexual impulsivity is psychotherapy that explores topics like the individual’s feelings, beliefs about self, and past sexual experiences.
Treatment for sex addiction emerged in the 1970s and 1980s and adopted several models used for treating other behavioral addictions like alcoholism such as abstention, confession, and the renouncing of impulses. Today, many therapists reject that model , and treatment for people worried about their sexual impulses is more likely to involve both members of a couple, and less likely to include a prescription of abstinence.
Several prominent figures accused of sexual misconduct, including Harvey Weinstein , have claimed that their behavior was propelled by sex addiction. Prosecutors, victims, and researchers argue that abuse of power, misogyny, and self-destructive urges may be equally likely factors. Yet many defendants have successfully invoked sex addiction in civil, criminal, and family court cases , despite the fact that the DSM-5 does not recognize the condition.
Preliminary research suggests that we may soon have the means to artificially suppress or increase an individual’s libido through the use of non-invasive electrical stimulation. But there are strong ethical concerns about how such technology could be used, ranging from fears that governments could arbitrarily suppress sexual activity, to worries that doctors could use it to repress people’s sexual self-determination.
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