Understanding and Treating Hypersexuality in Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder affects over 2.8% of adults throughout the United States. This condition causes frequent shifts in mood, energy, activity level, and one’s ability to complete everyday tasks. Although less frequently spoken about, hypersexuality is a symptom that affects many people living with bipolar disorder. Understanding the link between bipolar disorder and hypersexuality is an important first step in managing this difficult and often misunderstood symptom of this condition.

The Link Between Bipolar Disorder and Hypersexuality

In addition to frequently cycling highs and lows in mood and energy, bipolar disorder can also affect your libido. When experiencing a manic episode, bipolar disorder may lead to dramatically increased libido, reduced inhibitions, and compulsive sexual behavior. While there is no clear-cut definition, these feelings and behaviors may indicate hypersexuality. Those with bipolar disorder who experience hypersexuality may:

Engage in sex with multiple partners
Become excessively (and inappropriately) flirtatious
Find it difficult to concentrate on anything but sex
Have one-night stands or cheat in a committed relationship
Become very interested in pornography and masturbation
Engage in other risky behaviors such as speeding, excessive substance use, and gambling

Hypersexuality can significantly affect your relationships, health, and other aspects of your life. It can damage your finances due to charges from phone sex or online pornography subscriptions and put you at risk of sexually transmitted diseases.

How Depressive Episodes in Bipolar Disorder Also Affect Sexuality

Depressive episodes are characterized by a completely different set of symptoms. During depressive episodes, you may have very little interest in sex. You may also experience feelings of unattractiveness, have little to no interest in personal hygiene and feel sexually worthless. In addition, fatigue and sadness may make it difficult to perform sexually, increasing your guilt in regard to your lack of desire.

Managing Bipolar Hypersexuality

When sex crosses the line from pleasure to obsessive and uncontrollable urges, it becomes a significant problem. Developing a plan to combat periods of hypersexuality can help you stay safe while reducing the risk of harm to your relationships, career and quality of life.

Fully Commit To Treating Your Bipolar Disorder

Before you can think about managing hypersexuality symptoms, you must first learn how to handle bipolar disorder. Make a commitment to be proactive in your attempts to minimize your symptoms so you can keep sexual urges from becoming overwhelming. Create a bipolar management plan that addresses ways to prevent or reduce mood shifts. The better you’re able to manage manic episodes associated with bipolar, the more likely you’ll be able to prevent intense sexual compulsions from arising. Try to incorporate several healthy living strategies to enhance your well-being. Get ample sleep, work out regularly, take your medications, and speak with a counselor to help you manage your condition.

Identify and Limit Your Triggers

If you know what triggers your hypersexuality symptoms, work on avoiding them. Set boundaries to prevent you from encountering them when you can. If sexually explicit scenes on television shows or movies trigger you, consider skipping them. You can also set controls on your devices to prevent you from watching pornography.

Respect Healthy Boundaries in Your Relationships

When you’re in a committed relationship, having a higher sex drive than usual may not seem like it should be an issue. However, a sudden shift in sexual desire can be problematic and even unsettling for your partner. Sex is a normal and healthy part of relationships, but hypersexuality can lead to hurt feelings and confusion for both people. Maintain open communication with your partner about your sexual urges and how they relate to your diagnosis. Setting boundaries is the key to keeping bipolar disorder and hypersexuality from derailing your relationship. For example, you may agree not to watch online pornography, visit strip clubs, or seek out affairs. Couples counseling can be instrumental in helping you and your partner stay together.

Consider Getting Professional Counseling

Getting professional help from a sex therapist can be vital for those dealing with hypersexuality. Sex therapists have a thorough understanding of sexuality and can help you create positive strategies to help you cope. They can also help you understand the mechanisms behind your sexual urges. If you feel uncomfortable discussing these topics with someone in person, you may consider signing up for an online sex therapy program you can participate in from the comfort of your home.

Explore Mindfulness Therapy

Mindfulness is a helpful technique that encourages you to remain in the moment and sit with your thoughts and emotions without judgment. By allowing yourself to experience these feelings fully, you can better identify personal triggers and thinking patterns that may lead you to these triggers. By practicing mindfulness, you can begin to view these intense sexual cravings as nothing more than transient thoughts that will eventually fade away, decreasing the power they hold over you. Research shows that mindfulness-based interventions can be particularly helpful for individuals who are dealing with substance and behavioral addictions.

Many people struggling with hypersexuality feel embarrassed or ashamed to ask for help. The fact that some medical professionals also feel uncomfortable discussing the topic with their patients may also contribute to these issues remaining underrecognized in clinical settings. If you are struggling to cope with overwhelming sexual urges associated with bipolar disorder, do not wait to get help, especially if these issues are interfering with your relationships and professional life.

If you have bipolar disorder and struggle with hypersexuality, you are not alone. There are online and in-person support groups available for those who share the same struggles. Through these groups, you can learn and share coping strategies with others who understand what you are going through and discover new ways to deal with uncomfortable urges. By taking the steps towards addressing hypersexuality through therapy and additional treatments, you can learn how to manage your condition and regain control over your life.

If you or someone you know experiences mental health issues, it is important to seek help from a qualified professional. Our Resource Specialists can help you find expert mental health resources and support in your community. Contact us now for more information on this free service.

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About the Author

Emily Mendez is a mental health writer based in Indiana. Her work has appeared in eCounseling, TherapyTribe, and Sondermind. As a former psychotherapist, she is dedicated to helping people understand how to care for their mental health. Emily is frequently interviewed by the media for her insights on the latest mental health news. She has been featured in Yahoo, Healthline, Bustle, and other national publications.

Photo by Katerina Holmes: https://www.pexels.com/photo/focused-young-man-with-smartphone-5910933/

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