What is hypersexual behavior?
Hypersexual behavior entails intense and excessive engagement in sexual behaviors. Individuals with hypersexual behavior consistently and repeatedly devote an excessive amount of time in their day and life to sexual behaviors, fantasies, and urges.
Behaviors typically include: a) excessive and compulsive masturbation, b) addiction to pornography, c) excessive switching of sexual partners, and d) Internet sex addiction.
Characteristics of hypersexual behaviors include particularly intense, intrusive, and stimulating urges and fantasies, pursued constantly with a feeling of inability to stop theIntense and uncontrolled sexual activity often causes problems in various areas of a person’s life (e.g., professional, social, or personal), sometimes leading to isolation, feelings of shame, and guilt.
In several cases, this behavior also leads to legal problems, as individuals may engage in delinquent behavior, such as exhibitionism, public sex, or voyeurism when hypersexuality is involved.
How often is hypersexuality accompanied by discomfort?
A recently published online study involving a sample of 349 men who described themselves as sexually addicted or hypersexual revealed that 75% of them experienced discomfort from their sexual behavior. Greater discomfort was associated with excessive use of pornographic material, excessive frequency of masturbation, and changing sexual partners.
Additionally, the majority of participants (77%) reported problems in at least one area of their lives, while 56% reported problems in their relationships. The greater the discomfort and the more areas of life affected, the stronger the motivation to seek treatment.
Spenhoff M, Kruger TH, Hartmann U et al. (2013) Hypersexual behavior in an online sample of males: associations with personal distress and functional impairment. J Sex Med 10:2996-3005.
