Is there really such a thing as sex addiction?
By Ali the Sexpert
September 10, 2008
 Since David Duchovny admitted himself for sex addiction, the media has been in a frenzy. Many people seem surprised because his character in “Californication,” the 2007 comedy/drama TV series, is also addicted to sex.
They’re also surprised because he is a male and according to Western culture, males are supposed to like sex. The thought of men having a sex addiction is often joked about.
There are broad assumptions that there is no such thing as sex addiction for men, and that they don’t ever struggle with sex addiction. These are false assumptions to make, and whether you believe men can be addicted to sex or not, it is important to be educated about it.
Sex addiction defined
There are several different definitions of sex addiction, but according to one of the leading experts in the subject – Patrick Carnes (a U.S. psychiatrist), sex addiction is “a persistent and escalating pattern of sexual behaviours that are acted out despite increasingly negative consequences to self or others.” Wikipedia also says “the behaviour of a person who has an unusually intense sex drive, or obsession and addiction with sex.” These definitions are incredibly vague and non-specific to what determines “sexual obsession.” Important details such as the specific activities, the frequency, time consumed engaged in the activities, et cetera, are not described in these definitions. Even experts don’t agree on a concrete definition of sex addition because there is no diagnostic category for it in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (the ‘Bible’ of diagnosing clinical conditions). However, Impulse Control Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified (or NOS), and Sexual Disorder NOS are categories which may be used for the psychological categorization of sex addiction.
Sex addiction for one person may vary greatly from another making specific details difficult to define. Everyone has a different sexual appetite, frequency and interest for sex. This may be one reason why it is not currently listed in the DSM. Another reason may also be the lack of research to back up this claim that it is an addiction.
According to Carnes, merely 3-6 per cent of the population is considered to be addicted to sex, and there is also little data about diversity issues related to sex addiction and how it relates to women or other marginalized groups. Since there is no consensus about sex addiction among experts, and because there is such a low number of researched data on the subject, it has not been given very much validity in the past. However, since Duchovny, it has become a hot topic of debate once again.
‘Anti’ sex addiction
Non believers often think that sex addiction is just a joke because the typical image of a man in Western culture evokes a virile fellow who’s ever-ready to get between the sheets. Experts who disagree with the label say that it is inaccurate to call it an addiction because it does not manifest the same way as other addictions. According to Paul Fedoroff, the head of the Sexual Behaviours Clinic at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, characteristics of addiction include: “dependence on an external substance, an increasing tolerance for that substance, and withdrawal when it’s removed.” He also said, “If we start talking about sex addiction, we also have to talk about addiction to [other behaviours] like sleep, or eating, or breathing.” This perspective is not shared by all professionals however, which is why this is such a hotly debated topic. For those who do not agree with sex addiction, it seems to be more about the label itself and the lack of clarity about what makes it an addiction. Also, because it is one of the basic functions of being a human, it is hard to classify as an addiction.
‘Pro’ sex addiction
For believers, like Carnes, there are specific identifiable stages to sex addiction. Whether it is solitary activity (such as viewing and/or distributing pornography such as pictures, audio, or sex games, or reading written material such as erotica, romance or fantasy text, or newsgroups), or interactive sexual activities such as chat rooms, discussion boards or engaging in cybersex online (Ferree, 2003), sex addiction is a serious condition when it interferes in a person’s life and becomes a compulsion.
Carnes differentiates between levels of sexual addiction. Level one includes being in compulsive relationships, engaging in online sexual activity, masturbation or pornography. Level two - engaging in risky and intrusive behaviors like exhibitionism, voyeurism, indecent phone calls, and unwanted sexual advances on other people, and level three which is considered to be “high risk” behaviours which includes becoming involved in child molestation, incest, rape, or performing a profound violation of individual and/or cultural boundaries. Carnes has also identified phases of sexual addiction which can also be found in his book, “Out of the Shadows: Understanding Sexual Addiction.”
Believers argue that sex addiction is a compulsive disorder that is related to, or can result in, other serious problems such as: legal, financial, relationship (sexual or otherwise), social, emotional, occupational, high-risk sexual behaviours and isolation. Treatment for this condition includes the 12-Step program called ‘Sexaholics Anonymous’ which is group therapy, individual therapy, couples therapy or private residential treatment, which is what
Duchovny is currently undergoing. Treatment depends on the severity of the concern and a physician often prescribes treatment, or a therapist, once the issue has been revealed. For more information about sexaholics anonymous and for locations visit the website: www.sa.org.
Conclusion
It’s easy to see that much more research in needed in the area of sex addiction, and it would also be helpful if a consensus could be made about how to treat it. It also appears that the debate around sex addiction is more in the label itself than it is in the actual condition. A more appropriate term, like ‘Sexual Behaviour Disorder,’ could end some of the debate about whether it is an addiction or not. Also, if people would realize that the DSM is an ever-changing diagnostic tool, which can omit or included new or obsolete conditions, some anxiety regarding the fallacy of sex addiction could be appeased.
With more research on this condition, it could be re-labeled for the DSM to give those who suffer from it a legitimate clinical title to diminish some of the social stigma. People, like Duchovny, will unfortunately continue to be the hot topic of gossip regardless of his treatment and recovery because of the myths that exist in our culture.
However, if you take a serious look at the research, it’s easy to see that this is no joking matter, regardless of the social stigma. The most humiliating aspect for people like Duchovny is not only the jokes, but a possible negative impact on his reputation.
He will likely forever be associated with this condition, and his family and career may also suffer from it. Some people may believe that this is a publicity stunt to get higher ratings for Californication, but if this is true, then it is a hefty price to pay for more publicity and money.
Ali the Sexpert is a researcher and teacher in the field of sexuality. She has an Honours B.A. in Sociology (Windsor); a MA degree in Sociology (Windsor); is currently pursuing a second MA in Social Work.
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