Mental Health Monday: "Addicted to Lust"

Tiger Woods’ apparent sexual addiction and subsequent treatment brought much media attention to the matter, with news reporters asking the inane question “Are you a sex addict?” (Inane because if you are addicted to sex, you probably don’t need a news report to tell you so, and if you aren’t addicted to sex, you definitely don’t need a news report to tell you so, but I digress). It’s often argued that human beings, as so-called “sexual creatures,” are all addicted to sex to some extent. From an evolutionary perspective, our species would obviously cease to exist without it, so it would make sense that we are genetically programmed to desire sexual contact and satisfaction. There is a good reason sex is pleasurable; it is designed to be physically and emotionally reinforcing.

So what separates a normal or healthy sexual appetite from sex addiction? I think it boils down to two key considerations: What psychological factors (if any) are contributing to the preoccupation with sex, and what are the effects of such a preoccupation on the person’s life?

Perhaps the clearest sign of addiction is the amount or intensity of disruption the behavior creates. For many, sex addiction involves pleasuring oneself to pornographic images rather than having multiple sexual partners. Either way, if an individual’s efforts to satisfy his or her sexual impulses have created additional issues in the person’s relationships or professional pursuits, then the behavior is more likely a true addiction in the sense that it is problematic (as was clearly the case with Tiger Woods, whose power and prestige were probably instrumental in helping him to act out his fantasies with many partners, ultimately ruining his marriage and disrupting his game of golf as well as his endorsement career).

Another important consideration in distinguishing between normal sex drive and addiction is the underlying cause or causes which ultimately feed the behavior. For someone with a healthy interest in sex, the desire for sexual pleasure is based purely on normal interest in sexual activities…sex for the sake of sex. However, when sex is used in an effort to medicate or suppress feelings, addiction is more likely the case (as also happens with drugs and alcohol, gambling, shopping, and eating—all of which stimulate the brain’s reward centers). Naturally, the individual may not be aware that his or her behaviors are an attempt to meet otherwise unmet emotional needs, but work with a psychotherapist can help bring such insights to light.

According to the American Psychiatric Association’s DSM-IV, sexual addiction is not currently a diagnosable disorder, although there’s been much talk about adding hypersexual disorder to the next edition of the widely used manual, due out in 2013. Regardless of this status, there are many skilled mental health professionals who can help you or a loved one overcome an addiction to lust.