Recently, many people, chiefly men, several celebrities among them, have sought psychological treatment for "sex addiction." The truth is, however, that "sex addiction" is a socially dangerous myth. What's more, by acknowledging "sex addiction" as a legitimate psychiatric condition, and thus potentially a disability, a veritable Pandora's Box will be opened that might have dire unintended consequences.
For instance, The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, State and local government services, and telecommunications.
Thus, if "sex addiction" were to become a legitimate diagnosis, and then receive ADA classification, it could effectively shield some serious offenders from employment termination or even from criminal prosecution.
In less severe cases it can simply serve as a way to dodge personal responsibility irrespective of legal or occupational considerations. For example, when a spouse is caught having extramarital sexual relationships, by invoking the "sex addiction" excuse he or she might hope to mitigate the marital repercussions.
Nevertheless, there are professional therapists who dedicate their practices to serving this population and even 12-step programs for "sex addicts." Indeed, despite some professionals' claim that there is little difference between "psychological" and "physical" addiction, the fact remains that tolerance and withdrawal are essential criteria of addiction and neither has been convincingly demonstrated with respect to sexual behavior.
Sex is a natural reward that activates the same brain regions as truly addictive substances - the so called "reward pathway" involving dopaminergic activity among the ventral tegmental area, the nucleus accumbens, and the prefrontal cortex. What's more, food, water, and nurturing also activate this neural pathway. Yet, while some would argue (erroneously) that there are "food addicts," interestingly we don't seem to have an epidemic of "water addiction" or "nurture addicts."
Now I am not claiming that unrestrained or excessive sexual behavior is not a real and often psychologically devastating phenomenon, but rather that it can already be subsumed by established psychiatric diagnoses such as manic phases of bipolar illness, features of some Personality Disorders, and compulsive and impulse control disorders. Hence, there is no reason, nor verified scientific evidence that I know of, to assert that reckless, inappropriate, compulsive, or hyper-sexual behavior needs to be categorized as a true addiction.
If "sex addiction" ever makes it into the DSM, let us pray that the hope remaining in Pandora's Box will save the day.
Remember, think well, act well, feel well, be well!
Copyright by Clifford N. Lazarus, Ph.D.
