Understanding compulsive sexual behaviours through the lens of attachment

Abstract

Compulsive sexual behaviours are misunderstood creating a lot of debates and arguments amongst psychotherapists on how to best conceptualise these presentations and how to treat them. The debate on whether the best conceptualisation is the one of "sex addiction" or a sexological-informed one is ongoing. The nomenclature that we assign to this clinical presentation is important because it will guide the clinician in their choice of treatment. A "sex addiction" diagnosis will inform a behavioural and abstinence-based therapy, whereas a sexological approach may offer more possibilities to understand the erotic and relational processes of clients for which attachment theories are useful for a positive long-term treatment outcome.