Research points to sex addiction being bona fide disorder

The diagnosis of sex addiction has often been met with scepticism but new analysis has suggested that the condition really does exist.

Michael Douglas at the Emmy Awards on Monday. Picture: Getty Images

Embraced by philandering celebrities and scoundrel politicians, the diagnosis of sex addiction has often been met with scepticism. However, analysis of what happens in the brains of people said to be addicts has suggested that the condition really does exist.

Research indicates that people who suffer from a damaging compulsion to perform sexual acts possess unusual genetic activity. This appears to lead to abnormally high levels of oxytocin, a substance known as the “love hormone”, in their brains.

The study could open the way to new treatments. The scientists behind it also believe it may finally prove that sex addiction is a legitimate medical condition, something the likes of actors Michael Douglas and Charlie Sheen have claimed for years.

“There is increasing evidence concerning the biological underpinnings,” said Jussi Jokinen of Umea University in Sweden, co-author of a study published in the journal Epigenetics. “Of course it is a very debated diagnosis but we now think that it is real.”

The World Health Organisation recognised “compulsive sexual behaviour disorder” this year, describing it as involving losses of control and problematic and risky sexual habits. It has been estimated to affect between 3 per cent and 6 per cent of the population.

Controversy still surrounds the disorder, in part because it often occurs alongside other mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, suggesting that it could be an extension or manifestation of another illness.

The new research looked at “epigenetic” changes that occur inside cells, which involve chemicals that latch on to DNA and control the activity levels of individual genes. When an epigenetic change occurs, the gene itself is not altered but the manner in which it gives rise to proteins inside the body is.

The scientists took samples of blood from 60 patients with compulsive sexual behaviour disorder and compared them with samples from 33 volunteers. Genes that are especially active in the brain and limit the production of oxytocin, which is produced when people bond socially and romantically, were being silenced in patients with the disorder.

Professor Jokinen stressed the work did not involve individuals who merely had a high sex drive.

“These are cases where behaviour that cannot be controlled leads to negative consequences and suffering,” he said.

The Times