The Organic Causes of Hypersexuality

This chapter provides a detailed overview of the wide variety of physical conditions that have the potential to increase sexual interest and behaviours and therefore must be understood by any professional working with or assessing individuals with compulsive sexual behaviours. The chapter includes details of neurological conditions (including Parkinson’s disease (PD), multiple sclerosis (MS), dementia and Huntington’s disease), neurodivergence and endocrine conditions that may change sexual behaviours. It also considers medication, recreational drug use and psychiatric conditions leading to hypersexual behaviour. Ethical use of naltrexone in the treatment of CSBD is considered. The chapter includes case studies which help illustrate how this integrated approach may be applied to complex presentations in order to help accurately identify where organic issues may underlie the behaviours concerned.