Sex addiction a proven mental disorder

Sex addiction, which has traditionally been written off as an excuse for philandering celebrities, is indeed a real disorder, a study has suggested.

Sex addiction, which has traditionally been written off as an excuse for philandering celebrities, is indeed a real disorder, a study has suggested.

The disorder, in which sufferers have relentless sexual urges that feel out of their control, is even being considered for inclusion in America's "bible" that lists all mental conditions - the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

However, until now researchers have been struggling to define what hypersexual disorder - as sex addiction is formally known - actually is.

According to study researcher Rory Reid from University of California, Los Angeles, under one proposed definition a person who simply has frequent sex would not be diagnosed with it.

But a person whose sexual activities are excessive, frequently used to cope with stress and interfere with their ability to function in daily life may meet the criteria for the disorder.