Hyperactive Sexual Desire Disorder

Although a huge variety of emotional and mental disorders have been diagnosed and cataloged in the DSM IV, the handbook of psychiatrists and psychologists, few areas get as much attention as psycho-sexual disorders. And one of those disorders, which is most often mislabeled and misunderstood by the general populace is hyperactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD).

Origin

Hyperactive sexual desire disorder was first referred to as nymphomania in women, and satyrisis in men. Both of these terms referred to incarnations of lust, nymphs and satyrs, from ancient Greek myth. Although this disorder, in one form or another, has been a concern of psychology as a science almost since its incarnation, "curing" the condition is nearly as difficult as diagnosing it can be, due to the rather subjective nature of the symptoms.

"Symptoms"

The so-called symptoms of HSDD are what the name of the disorder would imply. The person who has this disorder experiences a hyperactive, or excessive, desire for sexual gratification, and quite often that desire leads to the person trying to fulfill their needs without the necessary concern for their partners, and sometimes without any concern for their own well being.

Problems With Diagnosis

One of the biggest problems with diagnosing this disorder is trying to define just what, precisely, constitutes excessive sexual desire and behavior. Certain psychologists define it by attempting to put a number on the "normal" amount of orgasms a person should have in a week's time, or the number of times that person should have sexual intercourse in a certain time to be considered regular or healthy. However, as has been noted, one of the troubles in figuring out excessive sexual desires or behaviors varies from one culture and age group to another. Do newlyweds suffer an "excessive" amount of sexual desire or behavior? It's a difficult question to answer, particularly if one comes from a culture where sex and sexual desire is either prohibited or more or less unlimited.

A Sure Factor

The only real way to effectively diagnose hyperactive sexual desire disorder is that the desires and the fulfillment of them must in some way hamper the person's day to day life. If the need for sexual fulfillment causes a person to miss work, or to take risks while at work, then it can be considered to be interfering. On a similar note, if a person's desire causes them to be callous towards others due to their need for gratification it can also be considered to hamper that person's life, although in a less obvious way.

Misconceptions

Often when layman, and even some psychologists, talk about hyperactive sexual desire disorder, certain ideas come to mind. This disorder is often thought to cause people to engage in deviant sexual behavior (deviant meaning behaviors in the minority, such as bondage and sadomasochism, role playing or bi-sexuality) to try and fulfill their desires. However, research has shown that unless a person is already disposed to that kind of behavior, hyperactive sexual desire disorder usually means that person is fulfilling their desires through conventional means (such as traditional sex with a single partner, or through masturbation), but is doing so with great regularity.