Addiction Addictive Behaviors Sex What Is Hypersexuality? By Toketemu Ohwovoriole Toketemu Ohwovoriole LinkedIn Toketemu has been multimedia storyteller for the last four years. Her expertise focuses primarily on mental wellness and women’s health topics. Learn about our editorial process Updated on January 26, 2022 Medically reviewed Verywell Mind articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and mental healthcare professionals. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Ivy Kwong, LMFT Medically reviewed by Ivy Kwong, LMFT LinkedIn Twitter Ivy Kwong, LMFT, is a psychotherapist specializing in relationships, love and intimacy, trauma and codependency, and AAPI mental health. Learn about our Medical Review Board Print Verywell / Laura Porter Table of Contents View All Table of Contents What Is Hypersexuality? Characteristics Identifying Hypersexuality Causes Treatment Coping A Word From Verywell What Is Hypersexuality? Hypersexuality is also known as compulsive sexual behavior disorder, or more commonly, simply sex addiction. When a person has an obsessive fixation on sex, sexual acts, and sexual fantasies, they might be hypersexual. This fixation is typically so severe that it might disrupt a person’s daily functioning. Some research shows that up to 3% to 6% of people are living with some form of sexual addiction disorder or related disorders and that this condition predominantly affects men. People with hypersexuality might exhibit a host of problematic sexual behaviors like consuming pornographic content excessively, excessive masturbation, or engaging in sexual activities with a large number of partners. The lack of recognition of hypersexuality as a mental disorder has resulted in many people living with the condition with an official diagnosis. This article covers the signs of hypersexuality, causes, and outlines potential treatment options. Characteristics Hypersexuality looks different in every individual who has the condition. While one person might primarily struggle with controlling their sexual fantasies, another might struggle with controlling the urge to carry out certain sexual acts like masturbation for instance. Some of the most common characteristics that a hypersexual person includes: Compulsive sexual behavior Recurring and uncontrollable sexual fantasies Difficulty establishing and maintaining a relationship with other people, especially a romantic partner because of their preoccupation with sexInability to get your sexual urges under control Continuing to engage in sexual behaviors and activities even after they’ve caused you harm How to Tell If You Are a Sex Addict Identifying Hypersexuality There has been some controversy around the classification of hypersexuality as a mental disorder. According to some experts, the condition doesn’t exist. However, identifying hypersexuality can be difficult, as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), which provides for the diagnosis of several mental health conditions, fails to provide criteria for diagnosing hypersexuality or compulsive sexual behavior. Some mental health professionals use the diagnosis criteria for conditions such as behavioral addiction to help diagnose hypersexuality. This is because hypersexuality could be considered a form of behavioral addiction or an impulse control disorder. A lot more research needs to be done on the condition to provide exact criteria for diagnosing hypersexuality. Causes It’s a little unclear what exactly causes hypersexuality. Research points at the following as possible causes for the condition: Developing certain conditions: Conditions such as epilepsy are thought to cause damage to some parts of the brain, which in turn could trigger the condition. A chemical imbalance in the brain: The brain controls almost all of our daily functioning, including sexual behavior. A chemical imbalance could either cause a complete lack of interest in sexual urges or behaviors or hypersexuality. There’s some evidence to suggest that a dopamine imbalance could trigger the condition. Medication: According to some researchers, hypersexuality could develop as a side effect of certain medications. Dopamine replacement medications, typically used to treat Parkinson’s disease have been found sometimes to cause hypersexuality. In addition to probable causes for the condition, certain risk factors could put some people at a higher risk of developing the condition than others. These include drug or alcohol abuse, a family history of mental health conditions, and sexual abuse. Treatment Like with many other mental health conditions, hypersexuality is most commonly treated with a combination of medications and psychotherapy. Medications One of the likely causes of hypersexuality is a chemical imbalance in the brain. Medications can help with this and help alleviate symptoms of the condition. Medications often prescribed to help with hypersexuality include: Mood stabilizers: Mood stabilizers like Lithobid, Depakote, and Depakene are typically used to treat bipolar disorder. However, some research shows that they could help reduce sexual urges in people who have hypersexuality. Antidepressants: In certain cases, hypersexuality might be brought on by other mental health conditions like depression. Treating the condition triggering hypersexuality could also help control sexual urges and behaviors. SSRIs, in particular, have been prescribed and proven to help people with hypersexuality. Vivitrol: Vivitrol is typically used to treat alcohol and opiate dependence. It could also be used to treat conditions like hypersexuality which is considered to be a behavioral addiction Psychotherapy Psychotherapy provides a person living with hypersexuality with the tools they need to manage their condition. The most common form of psychotherapy used in treating this condition include: Psychodynamic psychotherapy: The focus of this form of therapy is to make you increasingly aware of your unconscious thoughts and behaviors and what triggers them. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): This is a common form of psychotherapy used in treating many mental health conditions. CBT focuses on helping you identify negative thoughts and behaviors and helps you replace them with positive ones. What to Know About Sex Therapy Coping Many people with hypersexuality report feeling a deep sense of shame or embarrassment. Like with any other mental condition, the right treatment and coping strategies can help you live a healthy life and keep your urges under control. There’s no reason to feel shame or embarrassment about having a sex addiction. It’s important to set those emotions aside and focus on getting the help you need. Here are some tips to keep in mind besides the treatment plan a doctor or mental health professional has given you: Stick to your treatment plan strictly to see progress. Don’t suddenly stop treatment because you think you are starting to feel better. This might cause a more severe relapse. If you are on medication consult your doctor before changing or stopping your dose. If you are in therapy, continue going for therapy sessions consistently. Don’t be ashamed to reach out for help. The sooner you seek help and treatment for your condition, the sooner you get on your path to recovery. Keeping your condition under wrap from friends, family, and your doctor can be damaging and cause the condition to further interfere with your daily functioning.Join a support group. Joining a support group with other people with the condition helps you to remember that you are not alone. You also get to learn better coping strategies from people who might have struggled with the condition for longer than you have. Remove yourself from triggering situations. On your path to recovery, it’s important to avoid activities and situations that could set you back. For instance, many mental health professionals heavily discourage people with hypersexuality from consuming any pornographic content. A Word From Verywell If you or someone you know is dealing with compulsive sexual behavior, please know that treatment and recovery are possible. You are not alone. A trained mental health professional can help you identify underlying causes and develop a treatment plan to help you move forward. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Learn the best ways to manage stress and negativity in your life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 5 Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Laurent K, Aline W, Aviv W, et al. Sexual addiction or hypersexual disorder: different terms for the same problem? A review of the literature. Current Pharmaceutical Design. 2014;20(25):4012-4020. https://doi.org/10.2174/13816128113199990619 Kraus SW, Voon V, Potenza MN. Neurobiology of compulsive sexual behavior: emerging science. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2016;41(1):385-386. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038%2Fnpp.2015.300 Heare MR, Barsky M, Faziola LR. A case of mania presenting with hypersexual behavior and gender dysphoria that resolved with valproic acid. Mental Illness. 2016;8(2):6546. https://dx.doi.org/10.4081%2Fmi.2016.6546 Winder B. The management of hypersexuality in men. Trends in Urology & Men’s Health. 2016;7(5):9-12. https://wchh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/tre.540 Raymond NC, Grant JE, Coleman E. Augmentation with naltrexone to treat compulsive sexual behavior: a case series. Annals of Clinical Psychiatry. 2010;22(1):56-62. Get Treatment for Addiction Advertiser Disclosure × The offers that appear in this table are from partnerships from which Verywell Mind receives compensation.