Stop Thinking About Sex

Treatment of sexually compulsive adolescents

The evolution and accessibility of the Internet only raises greater concerns about compulsive sexual behavior, as more adolescents are brought into therapy because of Internet use to seek sexual interaction or stimulation. The sexually compulsive youth is as likely to be the clean-cut, high-achieving, intelligent student as is the economically deprived, juvenile delinquent on the street. This article began with the observation that adolescents rarely receive any direct, accurate information about sexuality and intimacy. The messages taken in through music, television, movies, politicians, popular press, clergy, and school are polarizing and contradictory.

Tags: Sex Addiction

Epidemiology, prevalence, and natural history of compulsive sexual behavior

Research into CSB is hindered by the lack of a generally accepted definition and reliable and valid assessment tools. Despite these limitations, evidence indicates that CSB is relatively common in the general adult population, causes substantial personal distress, and is a source of significant psychosocial disability. CSB appears to begin early in life, to have a male preponderance, and to run a chronic or episodic course. It is also commonly associated with psychiatric comorbidity, typically mood, anxiety, substance use, and personality disorders. Further research is needed to better our understanding of the disorder and improve our ability to develop specific interventions.

CSB is compulsive sexual behavior.

Tags: Sex Addiction

Sexual behavior that is “out of control”: a theoretical conceptual approach

At this stage of our knowledge, it seems reasonable to assume that out-of-control sexual behavior results from a variety of etiological mechanisms associated with different behavioral patterns that share Goodman’s two key features of addictive behavior:
(1) a recurrent failure to control the sexual behavior; and
(2) continuation of the behavior despite harmful consequences.
Any overriding definition relevant to clinical management seems premature until we better understand the various patterns and their likely determinants. The concepts of “compulsivity” and “addiction” may have explanatory value in some cases, but are not helpful when used as general terms for this class of behavior problem. Stein and colleagues suggested that, in these circumstances, we use the term “hypersexuality.” In my opinion, out-of-control sexual behavior or “impulse control disorders” as proposed by Barth and Kinder are more appropriate nonspecific terms because they focus on the issue of control rather than on high levels of sexuality. A number of clinically relevant and researchable hypotheses need to be addressed in further research, which hopefully will lead to more etiologically or therapeutically relevant subcategories of out-of-control sexual behavior.

Tags: Sex Addiction