The World Health Organization implemented Compulsive Sexual Behavior as a disorder in the International Classification of Diseases, version 11, (ICD-11) a change that took effect in 2022. This illness was not included in the previous version, the ICD-10. This compulsion is described as "evidenced by a chronic pattern of inability to control powerful, recurrent sexual impulses or desires resulting in repetitive sexual behavior," which is taken from the official diagnostic handbook.

This is a significant step forward in helping to treat, and relieve the pain, of those who are experiencing the negative consequences of compulsive sexual behavior in their, or their partners, lives. (You can take the Sex Addiction Screening Tool or Problematic Porn Consumption Scale for free here to self-determine your level of risk for compulsive sexual behavior disorder)

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the following are some of the signs that an individual may be struggling with a kind of sexual compulsion: When a person becomes so preoccupied with their sexual activities that they disregard their own physical, emotional and mental health, personal care as well as their other interests, hobbies, and duties, they are said to have a sexual addiction. A multitude of futile attempts made to considerably cut down on recurrent sexual conduct. Sexual conduct that is repeated over and over again despite their being negative repercussions or there being little to no enjoyment gained from it.

Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder is an issue that has the potential to severely limit a person's life, although it is possible that it does not function in the same way as some other addictions do. More study is required to more fully and completely achieve equal footing with other addictions which would land Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder in the DSM 5, the diagnostic framework clinicians most look to.

Technical Sidebar: In 2016, Kraus et al. published an article in which they stated that the diagnosis of compulsive sexual behavior was being considered for inclusion in ICD-11 (which it has since been included in), and they observed that the diagnosis of hypersexual disorder was rejected by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) for inclusion in DSM-5. Both of these diagnoses have since been incorporated into the relevant classification systems. It is important to note that diagnoses that could refer to compulsive sexual behavior have been included in the DSM ever since the publication of the DSM-III in 1980, and in the ICD ever since the first addition of a classification that included mental disorders with the publication of the ICD-6 in 1948. Both of these publications date back to the 1940s and 1980s, respectively. The diagnostic of "sexual disorders not otherwise specified" (NOS) (302.9) was added in both the DSM-IV and the DSM-IV-TR. This made it possible to diagnose hypersexual behavior. The word 'pathological sexuality' was included in ICD-6 and -7; however, in ICD-8, the term 'unspecified sexual deviance' was added, which includes 'pathological sexuality NOS.' This category was maintained as 'sexual deviation and disorders, unspecified' in the ICD-9 manual, which was released in 1975 and is used by the vast majority of nations outside of the United States. The term "unspecified psychosexual disorder" was added in ICD-9-CM (clinical modification), which was a version of the diagnostic manual that was prepared only for the United States and adopted there in 1989. The diagnostic code of 302.9 had been assigned to each of these disorders.

Sex addiction has a feature of inner struggle, despair and vulnerability. These individuals have repeatedly promised to themselves and their partners that they will never return to their unwanted behavior again. They’ve tried crafting strategies to aid in reducing or eliminating the compulsion. Yet, despite their herculean effort they are still returning to their rituals, their compulsion and staying in the exact same cycle of addiction other types of addicts are experiencing.

One prominent addiction specialist was quoted as saying that many activities that can bring about feelings of pleasure, such as shopping, eating, playing video games, using porn, and even using social media, all have the potential to become addictive if they are done to an extreme. He further said that it had the same effect on the individual's central nervous system as all of those other medicines. The main difference is that it simply does not have the same effect with regard to the peripheral nervous system, which is not just cause to eliminate them as addictions. It is still an addiction.

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This is Blair’s curriculum overview describing his approach to working with clients to understand their compulsive behavior and overcome it.

Take Blair’s 60-second Porn Addiction Assessment to determine your potential for porn addiction.