Over the past few months, a series of high profile men have had their names and reputations dragged through the mud because of their sexual misadventures. In the latest case, U.S. Representative Anthony Weiner was forced to leave office after “sexting” suggestive messages and lewd pictures of himself to a variety of women that he met on Twitter. Before Weiner there was Tiger Woods, who also used sexting to connect with women and who faced divorce and disgrace when his multiple affairs were exposed.
A Sad split Due to Possible Sex Addiction
The dangers of addiction to alcohol, drugs and gambling and the need for treatment are well known, but there is far less awareness of the condition known officially as hypersexual disorder. The disorder is not currently included in the Diagnostical and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), but a task force from the American Psychiatric Association has been formed to decide whether hypersexual disorder should be added to the next edition of the DSM.
Symptoms of Hypersexual Disorder
The following symptoms have been suggested as diagnostic criteria for hypersexual disorder:
• A compulsive need for sex and a lack of control over sexual behavior
• Using sex as a way of dealing with other problems
• Disregard for the effect of sexual behavior on family and work
• Continuing to engage in sexual behavior that has negative consequences
According the mental health experts, people who enjoy sex and engage in a variety of sexual practices do not necessarily have hypersexual disorder. A diagnosis of hypersexual disorder should only be considered when sexual behavior causes distress and dysfunction to both the person who is affected and his or her family and friends.
Some people are skeptical about the existence of hypersexual disorder and describe it as an excuse for immoral behavior, but those who deal with the problem and have seen its affects disagree. The advent of the Internet and the growth in cybersex and online pornography have devastated many lives, causing loss of employment, financial ruin and the breakup of marriages and relationships. Experts have called cybersex, which includes the sexting practiced by Weiner and Woods, as the crack cocaine of sex addiction.
Writing in The Washington Times, Dr. Charles Samenow describes hypersexual disorder as “alcoholism or drug addiction but without the tolerance or withdrawal.” According to Dr. Samenow, a psychiatrist with George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates, there is no known underlying brain dysfunction that is responsible for hypersexual behavior. This is one of the reasons that the disorder might not be included in the DSM. However, his experience with patients has shown that compulsive sexual behavior is a very real and serious problem that affects men and women from all walks of life.
According to Reuters, psychologists estimate that up to 5% of the population and possibly more can be described as suffering from sex addiction. Studies of patients with the disorder over the past 20 years have found high rates of sexual abuse, childhood trauma and problems with attachment and intimacy. Sex is often used to self-medicate and escape from these psychological issues.
Recovery from sex addiction is possible. It is currently addressed with residential treatment, private counseling and group therapy, which is similar to treatment for substance abuse and addiction. Unlike substance abuse, successful treatment does not require abstinence from sex. Instead, recovering sex addicts must learn how to give sex a healthy place in their lives. While our treatment program addresses underlying issues including love addiction, we only work on these types of issues when underlying issues accompany the primary diagnosis of addiction or alcoholism. If you or someone you know might be struggling with sex addiction, we are able to help you find the appropriate resource if you call our admissions team.
