Hypersexuality
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| ICD-10 | F52.7 |
|---|---|
| ICD-9 | 302.89 |
Hypersexuality is a desire for human sexual behavior at levels high enough to be considered clinically significant.
Hypersexuality is characterized by an impairing need for frequent genital stimulation that, when achieved, does not result in long-term emotional or sexual satisfaction. This dissatisfaction is what is believed to encourage the heightened frequency of sexual stimulation, as well as additional physiological and neurological symptoms.
The concept of hypersexuality replaces the older concepts of nymphomania (or furor uterinus) and satyriasis. Nymphomania was believed to be a psychological disorder characterized by an overactive libido and an obsession with sex. In males the disorder was called satyriasis (for etymology of the words, see nymph and satyr). "Nymphomania" and "satyriasis" are no longer listed as specific disorders in the DSM-IV.
The threshold for what constitutes hypersexuality is subject to debate, and critics question whether a standardized diagnostic threshold even exists. Sex drive varies widely in humans, and what one person would consider a "normal" sex drive might be considered excessive by some and low by others. The consensus among those who consider this a disorder is that the threshold is met when the behavior causes distress or impaired social functioning.
[edit] References
- Carol Groneman, Nymphomania: A History, (London: Fusion Press, 2001)
- Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity: the Journal of Treatment and Prevention, (New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1994-)
