A man is suing his former employer for $5m after being fired for visiting “adult” internet chat rooms while at work. James Pacenza claims he suffers from “sex addiction“, and that his bosses should have shown him sympathy, rather than the door. But is sexual addiction a genuine psychological condition, or just a handy excuse?
Sex has only recently joined gambling, shopping and even chocolate in the long list of items on which, claim some patients, they have a deep psychological dependence.
In the US, particularly, it is now a recognised condition, with even celebrities such as actor Michael Douglas treated for the condition in a Hollywood clinic, and there have been dozens of scientific papers published on the subject.
While some dissenters remain, respectable medical establishments such as the Mayo Clinic offer advice on sex addiction on their website, describing addicts as people who spend “inordinate amounts of time” in sex-related activities while neglecting other aspects of day-to-day life.
Dr Ian Banks, chairman of the Men’s Health Forum, and a working GP, suspects that the emergence of sex addiction may be more to do with changing cultural views of sex rather than any psychological defect.
He said: “There have always been a wide range of libido levels in society, and a high libido may be viewed as acceptable in one country, and unacceptable in another country, such as the US.
“Part of the problem is that while in cases of low sex drive we can often identify a medical condition underlying and causing it, I’m not aware of any medical condition that could contribute to a very high libido. “
“My feeling is that this is a reflection of the societies we live in. Sometimes there is an awful lot of pressure on people to conform sexually.”
Via bbc.co.uk
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