Here's more for them to choke on:
MAYO CLINIC
By Mayo Clinic staff
Compulsive 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.
When to see a doctor Get help if you feel like you've lost control of your sexual behavior, especially if your behavior causes problems for you or for other people. Compulsive sexual behavior tends to become more intense and difficult to control over time, so get help when you first recognize there may be a problem. Efforts to use sheer willpower to resist sexual compulsions may not succeed because the urges can be so powerful.
It's unclear what causes compulsive sexual behavior. Causes may include:
An imbalance of natural brain chemicals. High levels of certain chemicals in your brain (neurotransmitters) such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine may be related to compulsive sexual behavior. These brain chemicals also help regulate your mood.
Sex hormone levels. Androgens are sex hormones that occur naturally in both men and women. Although androgens also have a vital role in sexual desire, it's not clear exactly how they're related to compulsive sexual behavior.
Conditions that affect the brain. Certain diseases or health problems may cause damage to parts of the brain that affect sexual behavior. Multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, Huntington's disease and dementia have all been associated with compulsive sexual behavior. In addition, treatment of Parkinson's disease with some dopamine agonist medications may cause compulsive sexual behavior.
Changes in brain pathways. Compulsive sexual behavior is an addiction that over time might actually cause changes in the brain's neural circuits the network of nerves that allows brain cells to communicate with one another. These changes may cause pleasant reactions by engaging in sexual behavior and unpleasant reactions when the behavior is stopped.
PREPARING FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT
"Note any other mental health issues you have, whether diagnosed or not, such as depression or anxiety. Other mental health conditions often occur along with compulsive sexual behavior and may need treatment as well.
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"......Currently, mental health providers use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) a manual published by the American Psychiatric Association as a guide for diagnosing mental health problems.
Because compulsive sexual behavior doesn't have its own diagnostic category in the DSM, it's often diagnosed as a subcategory of another mental health condition. In many cases, compulsive sexual behaviors are generally accepted sexual activities taken to an extreme. These may be diagnosed as a subcategory of another mental health condition, such as an impulse control disorder or an obsessive-compulsive disorder.
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Treatment for compulsive sexual behavior typically involves psychotherapy, medications and self-help groups. A primary goal of treatment is to help you manage urges and reduce excessive behaviors while maintaining healthy sexual activities.
People with other addictions, severe mental health problems or who pose a danger to others may benefit from inpatient treatment initially. Whether inpatient or outpatient, treatment may be intense at first. And you may find periodic, ongoing treatment through the years helpful to prevent relapses. ...."
Psychotherapy
Several forms of psychotherapy may help compulsive sexual behavior. These include: [snip]
Medications
Certain medications may be helpful because they act on brain chemicals linked to obsessive thoughts and behaviors and reduce the chemical "rewards" these behaviors provide when you act on them. ...."
Self-help groups
Self-help and support groups can be effective for sexual addiction and dealing with all of the issues it can cause. Most are modeled after the 12-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). In addition to helping you make changes directly, these groups can help you learn about your disorder, find support and understanding in your condition, and identify additional treatment options and resources. These groups may be Internet based or have local in-person meetings or both. If you're interested in a self-help group, look for one with a good reputation and that makes you feel comfortable. Such groups don't suit everyone's taste, so ask your mental health provider about alternatives.
COSA
Sex Addicts Anonymous
Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
S-Anon International Family Groups
Sexaholics Anonymous
Sexual Compulsives Anonymous
Sexual Recovery Anonymous
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295 posted on Monday, March 05, 2012 10:45:38 AM by Matchett-PI