Nymphomania: symptoms, causes and treatment

Popularly, nymphomania has been used to confer with women who’ve a greater sexual appetite than is socially expected or who simply enjoy their sexuality without prejudice. However, the term refers to a pathological condition that causes great discomfort and impairs many areas of life.

Currently, this disorder is understood under the name “hypersexuality”, “sexual addiction” and even “sexual compulsivity”. It is estimated to affect roughly 6% of the population. Nymphomania, specifically, refers to female hypersexuality, while male hypersexuality known as “satyriasis.” However, in each cases the symptoms are similar.

What is nymphomania?

Nymphomania is characterised by excessive sexual desire that’s beyond the person’s control. Fantasies, masturbation or sexual activity occupy a big a part of his time and mental energy, and subsequently interfere along with his proper functioning in other areas.

In general, the diagnostic criteria are as follows:

• Time spent on sexual intercourse (whether serious about it or the activity itself) interferes with attention to other responsibilities and other areas of life.
• Sex is used to control unpleasant emotional states, similar to anxiety, sadness or emptiness. It’s a approach to avoid emotions.
• The person is unable to manage sexual intercoursedespite his attempts.
• Despite the plain physical, emotional and social problems, the identical behavior persists.

Other signs are:

• Masturbation excessiveto the purpose of causing physical injury to the genitals or happening at inappropriate times.
• Frequent and compulsive use of pornography
• Unwanted and uncontrollable intense and recurring sexual fantasies
• Multiple sexual partners and the emergence of feelings of guilt, shame and regret

The causes of nymphomania

As with many psychological disorders, there is no such thing as a clear or single cause that may explain the onset of nymphomania. However, some related risk aspects can contribute:

• Having been a victim of sexual abuse prior to now. It is common for many who experienced traumatic, non-consensual sexual relations in childhood to develop hypersexual behaviors later in life.
• To have low self-esteem and poor self-image. This can lead the girl to hunt validation of herself through sexual relationships. By feeling desired and sleeping with several sexual partners, she “puts a patch” on this sense of emptiness and looks like she is gaining importance.
• Sometimes, some poorly managed stressful and negative situations can trigger any such behavior. For example, a recent breakup may cause the person to hunt attention and affection that was lost.
• This disorder also appears to have a biological component. It is believed that in nymphomania, there could also be an alteration of brain neurotransmittersin addition to epileptic activity in certain areas related to the regulation of sexual desire.

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What are the implications ?

The concept that nymphomania is just an intense sexual desire and that, subsequently, the person advantages from it and just isn’t harmed beyond the moral aspect is fake. Indeed, this is much from being the case.

In reality, hypersexuality is a sort of addiction without substance. Indeed, it has been observed that these people can develop tolerance (they increasingly need sexual intercourse) and withdrawal symptoms if they fight to stop their behavior.

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On the opposite hand, this disorder involves difficulty controlling impulses. The person is unable to avoid fantasies, masturbation, and sexual activity, but that does not imply they enjoy it. Sex is experienced compulsively, the need is insatiable and this causes serious damage.

Professional life, personal life and married life are sometimes affected.. Additionally, many individuals with this disorder have comorbidities with depression, anxiety disorders, or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Asking for assistance is subsequently essential.

Treatment of female hypersexuality

Treatment for nymphomania often combines medication and psychotherapy. Concerning the primary point, antidepressants, mood stabilizers, anxiolytics or medications to treat addictions could also be prescribed.

However, psychological support is crucial. Options include cognitive behavioral therapy, psychodynamic therapy or acceptance therapy or commitment therapy. The objective will likely be to control the obsessive thoughtsto ensure behavioral and impulsive control and to enhance damaged social relationships.

When treating certain addictions, total abstinence is sought. In the case of nymphomania, this just isn’t the goal; the thought is to have the opportunity to enjoy a more conscious and controlled sexuality. This is why support groups are also a invaluable resource to show to.