WHO recognises ‘compulsive sexual behaviour’

The World Health Organization has recognised “compulsive sexual behaviour” as a mental disorder, but said last month it remained unclear if it was an addiction on par with gambling or drug abuse. The contentious term “sex addiction” has been around for decades, but experts disagree over whether the condition exists. In the latest update of its catalogue of diseases and injuries around the world, the WHO takes a step towards legitimising the concept, by acknowledging “compulsive sexual behaviour disorder”, or CSBD, as a mental illness.

But the UN health body stops short of lumping the condition together with addictive behaviours like substance abuse or gambling, insisting more research is needed before describing the disorder as an addiction. “Conservatively speaking, we don’t feel that the evidence is there yet ... that the process is equivalent to the process with alcohol or heroin,” WHO expert Geoffrey Reed told AFP.

In the update of its International Classification of Diseases (ICD), published last month, WHO said CSBD was “characterised by persistent failure to control intense, repetitive sexual impulses or urges ... that cause marked distress or impairment”. But it said the scientific debate was still ongoing as to “whether or not the compulsive sexual behaviour disorder constitutes the manifestation of a behavioural addiction”.

Reed said it was important that the ICD register, which is widely used as a benchmark for diagnosis and health insurers, includes a concise definition of compulsive sexual behaviour disorder to ensure those affected can get help. “There is a population of people who feel out of control with regards to their own sexual behaviour and who suffer because of that”, he said pointing out that their sexual behaviour sometimes had “very severe consequences.”

“This is a genuine clinical population of people who have a legitimate health condition and who can be provided services in a legitimate way,” he said. It remains unclear how many people suffer from the disorder, but Reed said the ICD listing would likely prompt more research into the condition and its prevalence, as well as into determining the most effective treatments.

“Maybe eventually we will say, yeah, it is an addiction, but that is just not where we are at this point,” Reed said.

But even without the addiction label, he said he believed the new categorisation would be “reassuring”, since it lets people know they have “a genuine condition” and can seek treatment.