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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffCompulsive sexual behavior — sometimes called hypersexuality, hypersexual disorder, nymphomania or sexual addiction — is an obsession with sexual thoughts, feelings or behaviors that affects your health, job, relationships or other parts of your life.
Compulsive sexual behavior may involve a normally enjoyable sexual experience that becomes an obsession. Or compulsive sexual behavior may involve fantasies or activities outside the bounds of culturally, legally or morally accepted sexual behavior.
No matter what it's called or the exact nature of the behavior, untreated compulsive sexual behavior can damage your self-esteem, relationships, career and other people. But with treatment and self-help, you can manage compulsive sexual behavior and keep your urges in check.
- Marshall LE, et al. Assessment, diagnosis, and management of hypersexual disorders. Current Opinion in Psychiatry. 2010;23:570.
- Kaplan MS, et al. Diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of hypersexuality. Journal of Sex Research. 2010;47:181.
- Paraphilias. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/print/sec16/ch213/ch213c.html. Accessed July 2, 2011.
- Mick TM, et al. Impulsive-compulsive sexual behavior. CNS Spectrums. 2006;11:944.
- Kuzma J, et al. Epidemiology, prevalence, and natural history of compulsive sexual behavior. Psychiatric Clinics of North America. 2008;31:603.
- Codispoti VL. Pharmacology of sexually compulsive behavior. Psychiatric Clinics of North America. 2008;31:671.
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