I think this depends on the source of the tension. Sometimes a person's sex drive becomes very intense because of psychological issues that attempt to relieve pressure or act out through sexual activities/fantasies. When the major portion of the sex drive is perpetuated by psychological issues, then it is very unlikely that a person can hold it back for too long, without it causing more distress or other symptoms to appear as a result. Even with sex addicts who experience a temporary decline in physical desire, eventually the intense libido will return, and probably in a big way. It is natural for the mind/body to cycle up and down, even with addictions and psychological issues. However, most of the time, the sex addict is caught in the grip of his/her addiction, even if their libido is low. The addiction will still manifest in some way.