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Hypersexual Disorder

I believe that this proposed sexual disorder was in fact a value-laden attempt to pathologize and scapegoat a certain type of human sexuality.

The Problem

In addition to the lack of validating research, the problem that its backers could never work around was that if you have two or more people agreeing to practice the very same behaviors together, then it’s all OK. They are just a high sex frequency couple.

Some Problematic Behaviors

Yes, some people relate exploitively toward others. They appear to offer their full selves to be in committed relationship with others. Then reality reveals that their interests were strictly sexual. This behavior can be cyclical, re-enactments of past relational losses or reactivity to prior abuse.

Mind-Body Connection

Sometimes, these individuals have very responsive genitals, and their neurologic / sensual pleasure levels are unusually high. In other cases, it’s quite low – they are physically somewhat numb or dissociative – and the sex provides a momentary relief from the deadness.

But in both types of cases, the “diagnosis” is better accounted for by mood, anxiety or personality disorders. Sex is not an addictive disorder, no matter how compulsive or repetitive it might seem. Sex is an expression of the human self – it is not a drug.

This concludes coverage of this proposed diagnosis in this blog.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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