Both men and women can sometimes complain of increased sexual desire as an independent problem, usually at a young and young age. When increased sexual desire is secondary to affective disorder or when it develops during the early stages of dementia, it is necessary to encode the underlying disease.

It should be noted:
– if the increased sexual desire develops in a patient with mental retardation, then mental retardation should be considered the main disease.

Includes:
– nymphomania;
– Satiriasis.

According to the scientist, the definition of the normal severity of sexual desire is always conditional. If a person leads an intense sex life, but at the same time “manages” to show high creative, professional, social or other activity, he cannot be considered as a person with pathologically enhanced libido. Pathological hyper-sexuality is distinguished not only by a quantitative increase in sexual intercourse, but also by a qualitative change in behavior, when satisfying high sexual needs becomes a kind of supervaluable idea that completely absorbs the individual to the detriment of other areas of life.

Increased sexual desire is manifested in the urgent need to have very frequent sexual contacts and to diversify them in every way, as well as in very high physical abilities in sexual life, or a combination of both these qualities.

Excessive expression of libido usually leads to a continuous change of sexual partners, repeated sexual intercourse with them during the day, sexual orgies, excessive masturbation.

In men, pathological increase in libido is designated as satiriasis, in women – as nymphomania.

It is believed that the basis of satiriasis, in addition to excessive intensity of sexual desire, may also lie a sense of their own inferiority, lack of confidence in their sexual capabilities. Such men need continuous confirmation of their sexual viability. This motif is attributed to the legendary seducer Don Juan, who constantly had sex with various women to make sure that his sexual abilities have not changed.

X. Ellis (1965) characterizes nymphomania as a constant desire for sexual contact, the cause of which are obsessions or “auto-aggressive” tendencies. This leads to uncontrollable behavior, as a result of which a woman easily has sex with any person, regardless of her age, appearance or even gender. Absolute promiseness distinguishes a woman suffering from nymphomania from a woman who manifests pronounced sexual activity, but with a certain selection of partners (a kind of selective promiscuity). Sexual behavior, which is not based on obsession, can be much more controlled, which is reflected in the selection of partners.

Increased sexual desire can be a symptom within a mental disorder or organic disease, in particular, in manic and hypomania states, schizophrenia, some personality disorders (in which emotional-volitional control is lost, which is manifested by increased intensity of sexual life, licentiousness, cynicism), and also for organic brain damage, hormonal disorders, drug intoxication (cocaine, heroin, mescaline) and carbon monoxide poisoning.

According to the scientist, a sexologist faces the problem of hypersexuality in a woman in three main cases:
1) in the pathology of deep brain structures, in particular the hypothalamus;
2) with endogenous mental diseases (schizophrenia, affective psychoses, sometimes epilepsy);
3) when there is no hypersexuality as such, and an increase in sexual desire, for example, in menopause, is perceived by a woman as something pathological.

With hypothalamic hypersexuality syndrome, a paroxysmal increase in libido is observed. Periodically there are bouts of the strongest sexual arousal with specific sensations in the genital area, increased sensitivity of the genitals to tactile stimulation, a feeling of heat, increased urge to urinate, pain in the lower abdomen and in the lower back. Women with hypothalamic hypersexuality are multi-orgasmic, and repeated orgasms easily occur in any form of stimulation, erotic dreams, and even under the influence of inadequate stimuli (general vibration, etc.). In more severe cases, they experience a prolonged, wavy orgasm, which can last up to 1 hour or more, but does not bring satisfaction.

Sexual arousal in such women often occurs in the form of crises and is accompanied by a deterioration of general well-being (blanching or redness of the skin, headache, dizziness, fever). Sleep is disturbed, as they often wake up from orgasms with pain in the lower abdomen. Increased sexual desire leads to sexual disinhibition and numerous chance relationships. Many women are experiencing hard inability to control their sexual behavior, which is an additional source of psycho-traumatization, contributing to the development of depressive and asthenoipochondric symptoms. In some cases, women in every way avoid any situations that provoke sexual contact, because, despite repeated orgasms, coitus does not lead to any long-term reduction of sexual arousal.

Hypothalamic hypersexuality syndrome should be referred to as “Other organic disorders of the personality and behavior due to a disease, injury or dysfunction of the brain”.

Hypothalamic hypersexuality must be distinguished from nymphomania in mental illness. For example, in schizophrenia, sexual arousal is subjective, manifesting itself only on a mental level, and is not accompanied by corresponding changes in the genitals. Orgasm difficult or impossible. Here the biological and mental components of the libido are split. Attraction is compulsive, it pushes for promiscuity, which do not give sexual discharge.

Women change partners again and again, hoping to finally experience a satisfaction that never comes. They usually do not have erotic dreams, and masturbation attempts also do not bring complete discharge. Since nymphomania in schizophrenia is secondary to the underlying disease.

Survey. Includes standard sexological examination. Particular attention should be paid to the clinical and psychopathological research, gynecological status. If you suspect hypothalamic hypersexuality syndrome – consult a neurologist, an endocrinologist, determine the level of gonadotropins and sex hormones in the blood serum; EEG study.