Hypersexuality: Norm or Pathology?

Abstract

The article examines whether hypersexuality should be regarded as norm or pathology. It is emphasized that despite the fact that the presence of such a phenomenon as pathological hypersexuality cannot be denied some authors speak against its and sexual addiction inclusion into classification systems due to the following circumstances: (1) allegedly now there is an insufficient number of verified actual data for establishing diagnostic criteria in order to identify this behaviour as a mental disorder, and allegedly studies have not revealed yet whether such pathological symptoms, which are consistent with these marks, as anxiety and the problem with control of impulses are really connected with excessive sexual behaviour; (2) consideration of people with hypersexuality as having mental pathology allegedly just reflects cultural dislike for an unusual sexual behaviour, while labelling of sexual drives as “extreme” simply stigmatize those people who do not meet norms of their culture or norms of a group of persons of the same age; (3) compulsive sexual behaviour was qualified as abnormal by “moralists from medicine” who act as “civil inspectors” and enforce their orthodox views; (4) the oftener psychologists and lawyers declare some or other forms of behaviour uncontrolled compulsions the fewer people are held liable for their actions, even if these actions  harm other people; (5) the opinion is expressed that there are no clear differences between normal and pathological levels of sexual desires and behaviour.The author believes that hypersexuality can be both physiological and pathological. Sometimes in certain cases it is really difficult to distinguish whether one should designate hypersexuality as norm or pathology. The article informs that instead of “Excessive sexual drive” (ICD-10, code F52.7) ICD-11 introduced code 6C72 “Compulsive sexual behaviour disorder”. Its characteristic is given. However, it is reported that there are currently several conceptualizations of pathological hypersexuality: obsessive-compulsive, addictive, caused by impairment of impulse control, as well as the model, which was determined by the author and connected with persistent genital arousal disorder and restless genital syndrome. In the author’s opinion, each of the above mentioned conceptualizations (models) of pathological hypersexuality is useful in certain cases because better than others it characterizes the state of the definite patient. These models can “interlace/intersect” in the same patient, and their manifestations can replace one another in the dynamics of the course of hypersexuality. The author believes that attempts to deny the presence of pathological hypersexuality misinterpret the reality, are unscientific and not consistent with numerous clinical observations.