The Challenging Landscape of Problematic Sexual Behaviors, Including “Sexual Addiction ” and “Hypersexuality”

There is no concept in the field of sexology that has received as much recent attention or created as much dissension among therapists as sexual behaviors that are perceived as problematic or out of control. For want of a better term, many therapists and the public at large refer to these behaviors as “sexual addiction ” (Carnes, 1983). Other labels currently being used for problematic sexual behavior include “sexual impulsivity ” (Barth & Kinder, 1987), “ hypersexuality ” (Kafka, 1997; Stein et al., 1992), “compulsive sexual behavior