Hypersexual Disorder: Searching for Clarity

The conceptualization of Hypersexual Disorder that was proposed for DSM-5 is reviewed and found to be inconsistent with the existing data. Any proposal for adding a new psychiatric disorder should demonstrate the need for a new diagnosis, describe individuals with only that psychiatric disorder, and explain why existing diagnoses are inadequate to describe the new entity. The conceptualization and diagnostic criteria should distinguish between those with the disorder from those without it, as well as demonstrate that the disorder is not a symptom or result of another psychiatric disorder. The current proposal falls short of all these goals. The problems and dangers of adding Hypersexual Disorder to our diagnostic classification system are discussed.