What Causes Hypersexuality?

Hypersexuality is a disorder proposed diagnosis for people who engaged in sex or think about sex through fantasies. These people may engage in activities such as masturbation, porn, multiple partners, and sex for pay. They may feel distressed in areas of life relationships, school, or work. 

Other experts believe that the real causes of this type of behavior may include emotional states, such as depression, anxiety, or relationship conflict. For some individuals, shame and morality may also be involved. Whether the condition exists or not psychotherapy may be useful for individuals seeking to regulate their emotions and gain insight into their sexuality. 

Risk Factors for Hypersexuality

Hypersexuality may befall both in men and women, though it might be more common in men. It can affect as well anyone, regardless of sexual orientation. 

Factors that may increase the risk of Hypersexuality:

• Alcohol or drug abuse problems.
• Another mental health condition, such as a mood disorder
• Privacy of Hypersexuality tends to allow these problems to worsen over time.
• Social factors include sexual abuse, physical abuse, life stress, and impaired family relationships.
• Ease of access to sexual content allow access to increasingly intensive sexual imagery and information. 

Symptoms of Hypersexuality

Hypersexuality becomes problematic when it causes significant distress to a person or puts them at risk of harming themselves or someone else. 

The following criteria may be a way of identifying Hypersexuality:

• Behaviors occur in response to dysphoric mood states or stressful life events
• Engage in sexual behaviors while disregarding the potential for physical or emotional harm to self or others
• Have recurrent, intense sexual fantasies, urges, and or behaviors that consistently interfere with other activities 
• Engage in consistent but unsuccessful efforts to control or reduce sexual fantasies, urges, or behaviors
• The intensity of sexual urges cause significant distress or impairment

Diagnosis for Hypersexuality

Your doctor and another mental health professional can do a psychological assessment which may involve answering questions about your:

• Problems caused by your sexual behavior
• Social, relationships, and family situation 
• Use of recreational drugs and alcohol
• Sexual thoughts, behaviors, and compulsions that are hard to control
• Mental and physical health as well as your overall emotional well-being 

Treatment and Medications for Hypersexuality

Treatment for Hypersexuality often involves medications and psychotherapy. The main goal of the treatment is to help you manage urges and lessen excessive behaviors while maintaining a healthy sexual activity. 

If you or a family member have Hypersexuality, you may also need treatment for another mental health condition. People with this condition often have alcohol or drug abuse problems or other mental health problems, such as anxiety or depression, which need treatment. 

In addition to psychotherapy, certain medications may help because they act on brain chemicals linked to obsessive thoughts and behaviors or reduce sexual urges. Your doctor may recommend anti-androgens, mood stabilizers, naltrexone, and some antidepressants.