Sexually Compulsive Behaviors Can Represent Distinct Types of Classifications

Even though sexual addiction or sexual compulsivity affects hundreds of thousands of people each year, the symptoms and consequences often remain hidden until a patient seeks professional help for other conditions. Additionally, patients can have more than one classification of problematic sexual behaviors, which can further complicate a diagnosis.

Many patients who seek professional treatment for mood-related disorders, substance abuse or problems controlling impulsive behavior are found to have the symptoms of a sexual addiction or sexual compulsivity, according to a recent research article. In some cases, people may look for help when they can no longer control their sexual behaviors, even when the behaviors mean the destruction of their homes, families or careers – a similar situation to people who seek help for addictions to substances or disorders related to impulse control.

At the core level, sexual behaviors related to sexual addiction serve a similar purpose as other addictions. Rather than being focused on sexual pleasure, the acts become a way to get away from deep-rooted emotional distress or negative feelings. However, the resulting emotions of guilt, anxiety and shame often aggravate the situation to even more life-debilitating levels. Sexual addiction becomes a cycle the patient can’t escape without professional intervention, and can be rooted in a combination of factors and behaviors.

For example, sexual behaviors that are compulsive in nature can also be further categorized as paraphilic (actions outside what is considered normal for sexual activities) or non-paraphilic. Paraphilic sexual behaviors may include pedophilia, exhibitionism or certain types of fetishism. Non-paraphilic sexual actions can include frequent sexual encounters with multiple partners, recurring prostitution services or overuse of pornography.

Experts believe patients seeking help for sexual addictions can benefit from being screened for the presence of both paraphilic behaviors and non-paraphilic behaviors in order to gain the most comprehensive knowledge possible toward the unique and personal triggers related to a patient’s sexual addiction, and to determine the most effective treatment strategy.