Compulsive Sexual Behavior Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

What Is Compulsive Sexual Behavior?

Compulsive sexual behavior is sometimes called hypersexuality, hypersexual disorder, nymphomania or sexual addiction. It’s an obsession with sexual thoughts, urges or behaviors.

Compulsive sexual behavior may involve a commonly enjoyable sexual experience that becomes an obsession and becomes disruptive or harmful.

Causes Of Compulsive Sexual Behavior:

The definite cause of compulsive sexual behavior is unknown. However, researchers have come up with the following possible explanations:

An imbalance of natural brain chemicals

High levels of neurotransmitters which regulate mood, including serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine may be relates to compulsive sexual behavior.

Conditions that affect the brain.

Epilepsy, Huntington’s disease and dementia, diseases which damages part of the brain that affects sexual behavior, have been associated with compulsive sexual behavior.

Changes in brain pathways.

Compulsive sexual behavior itself may cause changes in the brain’s neural circuits. These changes may account for getting pleasant reactions when engaged in sexual behavior and unpleasant reactions when the behavior is stopped,

Symptoms Of Compulsive Sexual Behavior:

Symptoms vary in terms of type and severity of the disorder; some common symptoms include the following:

Excessive
Obsessing about sex to the point that it interferes with their life
Spending a significant amount of time planning their sexual activity
Frequent viewing of pornography or use of sexually explicit websites or other online services –• Frequent or excessive use of phone sex services
Having multiple extramarital affairs or frequently having sex with multiple partners
Frequent one-night stands with total strangers or prostitutes
Staying emotionally detached from sexual
Frequent sex without using protection
Engaging in sexual behavior that directly conflicts with their personal values or religious beliefs
Obsessing about a sexual partner who is unattainable
The inability to stop despite the consequences

Diagnosis Of Compulsive Sexual Behavior:

The doctors may evaluate the following factors in order to diagnose compulsive sexual behavior:

Physical and mental health, as well as your overall emotional well-being
Sexual thoughts, behaviors and compulsions
Use of drugs and alcohol
Family, relationships and social situation

Treatment Of Compulsive Sexual Behavior:

Treatment for compulsive sexual behavior can be broken down into the following categories:

Psychotherapy:

Psychodynamic psychotherapy focuses on increasing awareness of unconscious thoughts and behaviors, developing new insights and resolving conflicts
Cognitive behavioral therapy,which helps one to identify unhealthy, negative beliefs and behaviors and replace them with healthy, positive ones