Why Can't I Stop?

Addiction

Not All Excessive Sexual Behavior Is CSB

Jon E. Grant, JD, MD, MPH, Brian L. Odlaug, PhD, MPH, and Samuel R. Chamberlain, MD, PhD on September 1, 2016

​Just because someone is hypersexual does not mean he or she has CSB (compulsive sexual behavior).

​Just because someone is hypersexual does not mean he or she has CSB (compulsive sexual behavior).

Sex

How Much Sex Is Too Much Sex?

Jon E. Grant, JD, MD, MPH, Brian L. Odlaug, PhD, MPH, and Samuel R. Chamberlain, MD, PhD on August 30, 2016

Normal sexual behavior may be overpathologized (that is, treated as disordered when it is not) if a clinician fails to recognize the wide range of normal human sexual expression...

Normal sexual behavior may be overpathologized (that is, treated as disordered when it is not) if a clinician fails to recognize the wide range of normal human sexual expression...

Individuals with CSB (compulsive sexual behavior) may face a variety of medical complications, including unwanted pregnancies; sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS

Is compulsive sexual behavior a new disorder?

Why should we be concerned about compulsive sexual behavior? Pornography, which is just one part of compulsive sexual behavior, is a huge business, and as such, it is here to stay.

Addiction

Pokémon Go—Addiction to Mobile Tech No Laughing Matter

Jon E. Grant, JD, MD, MPH, Brian L. Odlaug, PhD, MPH, and Samuel R. Chamberlain, MD, PhD on July 19, 2016

Research shows that those with a behavioral addiction—including gaming addiction—have similar brain dysfunction to those with cocaine or gambling addiction.

Research shows that those with a behavioral addiction—including gaming addiction—have similar brain dysfunction to those with cocaine or gambling addiction.

Many people with behavioral addictions have been told that they have a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Addiction

Can Any Behavior Be Addictive?

Jon E. Grant, JD, MD, MPH, Brian L. Odlaug, PhD, MPH, and Samuel R. Chamberlain, MD, PhD on July 5, 2016

The answer is probably “yes,” depending on the person.

The answer is probably “yes,” depending on the person.

Ingesting drugs and alcohol may produce short-term rewards that then result in a lack of control over the behavior.

Behavioral addictions impair function, can have legal and financial repercussions, and can lead to mental health issues such as depression and thoughts of suicide

At some point in our lives, we all engage in behaviors that are risky or unwise— behaviors that, deep down, we know are not rational.