In a surprising move to those who actively combat the spread of pornography in our culture, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) recently announced the release of new draft diagnostic guidelines that identify pornography addiction as a form of “hypersexual disorder” and thus worthy of serious study and treatment.
The American Psychiatric Association is characteristically not a friend of the family or of traditional values. They succumbed to the pro-homosexual lobby back in 1973 by “declassifying” homosexual behavior as a disorder/dysfunction and are currently trying to remove other sexual orientation dysfunctions from their diagnostic manuals.
This time, however, the APA should be commended for acknowledging what research and most individuals intuitively know: pornography, strip clubs, cybersex and other dangerous habits and addictions harm those who participate in them. And we’ll add this truth that the APA missed: they harm spouses, families and societies too.
The APA draft diagnostic guidelines state that “hypersexual disorder” is characterized by:
Over a period of at least six months, recurrent and intense sexual fantasies, sexual urges, and sexual behavior in association with four or more of the following five criteria:
(1) A great deal of time is consumed by sexual fantasies and urges, and by planning for and engaging in sexual behavior.
(2) Repetitively engaging in these sexual fantasies, urges, and behavior in response to dysphoric mood states (e.g., anxiety, depression, boredom, irritability).
(3) Repetitively engaging in sexual fantasies, urges, and behavior in response to stressful life events.
(4) Repetitive but unsuccessful efforts to control or significantly reduce these sexual fantasies, urges, and behavior.
(5) Repetitively engaging in sexual behavior while disregarding the risk for physical or emotional harm to self or others.
For more information from the APA on “hypersexual disorder” visit their website here.
The American Journal of Psychiatry has also published a research study entitled “Hypersexual Disorder and Preoccupation with Internet Pornography” that might shed more light on this condition.