I Just Read An Article On Hypersexuality

Does anyone else get this symptom, that appears to be mostly over looked?

I can't talk a about these feelings with people in my life because it is inappropriate, so unlike other symptoms, there is no one to say, "hey, maybe you should not be using all of your data to look at porn or to be seeking out lewd correspondence..."

This really explains a lot of my life to me. Never once have I had a mental health provider ask me about this. It plays a huge roll in my manias. I really do not like that part of it because it leaves me with guilt, shame and a reputation....

I never notice it until I am compromising myself, and even still I cannot stop my behavior. Luckily it s the thrill of the chase in general, but it is not good for relationships.

This self description from a survey is pretty dead on for me; Extreme arousal and sexual urges consistently throughout the day regardless of sexual activity level. Compromised decision making leading to risky behavior such as work time viewing of pornography and self-pleasure and other sex acts in public places. Masturbating while driving home, while at a school computer lab other public places. Overwhelming urges to masturbate to relieve sexual tension throughout the day. I feel as though I could have sex or engage in a sexual act 3-4 times my normal level of activity.

Guilty as charged. When I'm hypo or manic, it's almost guaranteed I'm hypersexual.

I almost feel dissociated from it too. The whole process is just so exciting, gah! Then I feel like crap about it, whether I get some sort of relief or not, it is like how did I conduct myself like that???

What's wrong with being hypersexual as long as I don't hurt someone else? I don't feel guilty about it at all. Bring it on.

I'm just hypersexual. Except when I'm depressed when I simply have a high libido.

I'm very lucky that I don't have the opportunity to act on my hypersexual impulses like I did at my worst manic phase when living in California. Living in a remote area, working for myself.. can't just drive into Ensenada.

I have been asked this a lot by my pdoc and one's in hospitals so for me it I haven't found they overlook it. Some may be to embarrassed to ask outright
I was manic for a couple months that turned mix once and I ended up in the hospital. the pdoc asked me about hypersexuality during the episode. I was like "yeah"
He asked " how many partners in past couple months"
Gulp "three" and these were people I hardly knew
It's not the hypersexuality I find embarrassing but the behaviour at times

Same here with me, and I agree that it's more the behavior behind the hypersexuality that can be either problematic and/or an embarrassment.

Can you post a link to the article?
For me the Hypersexuality and impulsivity are the problem parts of Bipolar. I've lost my job, home and marriage as a result of my behaviour. I won't go into details, but I was arrested for some inappropriate behaviour whilst manic and I am awaiting going to court. Nobody in the Police, Social Services etc seems to understand Bipolar or hypersexuality at all. I've had to do so much research myself to present to them it's unreal. A 2007 study by Oxford University in the UK showed that sexual offenders were 3 times more likely than the general population to commit a sexual offence (link below). Whilst this doesn't excuse any behaviour, it explains it and as such presents a simple solution to present recidivist behaviour, ie treating the Bipolar. I was undiagnosed at the time of my offence, and whilst I have now been diagnosed, I'm struggling to get any support at all. All the system has done is prescribed me meds and that's it. My GP has no understanding of mental health, and I haven't spoken to a psychiatrist since November. I've asked for therapy sessions or anything where I can explore the Bipolar and understand triggers, coping mechanisms etc, but nothing.
Sex offenders have higher rate of mental illness | Reuters
On a lighter note I saw a tshirt recently that said 'Bipolar, great in bed, crap to live with' written on the front. Made me laugh.

That is a true statement!

I think this was the article: Bipolar Disorder: When Sexuality Is in Overdrive - Bipolar Disorder Center - Everyday Health

No you are right. Watching porn and masturbating in the bathroom at work is totally acceptable. As is soliciting lewd correspondence with strangers while happily married, totally cool.

Yes, yes, yes!

Three times, four times, never enough times a day!

THANK YOU!

It's totally there, and totally difficult, and when coupled with impulsivity and (in my case last summer) grandiosity and delusions, an ENORMOUS problem.

I don't think we should be any more ashamed of it than any other symptom though I myself have been dealing with significant shame because of the behaviors I have exhibited in relation to severe mania and its accompanying manic hypersexuality. In fact, I posted recently on the effects these experiences have had because they represent just one more way this disease has impacted my life and relationships.

As you stated, it's often unadressed, undocumented, or undiscussed. Tell me: Why? It's a symptom, just like anything else. Tell me: WHY are we stigmatized--even sometimes among our bipolar peers--for this symptom like no other? I think it represents a gross unfairness that I find very frustrating.

NOT saying bad behaviors should be excused--but they ARE explained and SHOULDN'T be judged in the way that they are--not unless we/our peers/those around us/the medical community are going to start judging other symptoms the same way.

I'm sorry for the rant, but, well, I'm too hot (under the collar) to even bother explaining myself

You are actually the reason I looked into this. I had no idea it was a symptom. Before I even knew I was on the bipolar spectrum I was prescribed an antidepressant and really kicked this particular symptom into over drive. It was terrible, I was deployed over seas in 2007, to a place where the ratio of men to women was probably 100:1

So much stupid was done there, so much, so much shame.... At the time I was on top of the world, I had no idea I was in a full blown mania. I just knew later that I did a lot of things I would not normally have done.

Rant away, it is helping me sort though things too.

The more I reflect on it, the more I am seeing how this is actually a prominent feature of my manias.

So many crazy years!! So many, how did I never connect this before???

I am so sorry for what you went through. I imagine that, like me, you are ashamed. Let's not be. Together. Ok? What do you think of this idea? I recently asked my therapist, "Do you think I'm a slut?"

He shook his head, then said, "I don't even believe in the concept." I am looking forward to hearing more specifically what he meant when I see him tomorrow. Our sessions seem so short. I'm sure everybody has this problem.

On a more specific level, can't tell you how glad I am to hear your words: "rant away" and "it's helping me sort..."

I am dizzy with relief at just being able to TALK about this. Your words are so tremendously validating to me, I have tears rolling down my cheeks.

By the way, I meant to thank you and apologize to you. Thank you for the funny short thing you shared. I laughed too.

Apology? I'm sorry I forgot to include you in my previous response. Please don't take that as a judgment.

What I wanted to say is that if things were less evolved in terms of what is considered criminal sexual behavior, I would certainly be awaiting a court date myself.

After my indiscretion, I was reminded of the book The Scarlet Letter. The behavior represented in Hawthorne's study would not be punishable by law today. But back then? You bet and severely so.

Not to mention that in some communities--and not just religious ones--adultery still IS punishable.

I am so sorry for what you are going through. It seems that the justice system is not lacking for pills as much as it is for true rehabilitation.

You have my hugs and support

I understand your point. I really hate you have struggled with this. This topic was also posted a few days ago so there's another thread. I posted there. I'm taking a med for mine hyper sexuality

I am with you on that. I guess it is what I am thinking others think about me, but that does not really matter, not in my life. Anyone that has ever thought bad things about my past behavior is no longer on my life.

The older I get the less I believe in the whole concept of being a slut. I even defend other women that are shamed for their sexual behavior. I am not sure why it is anyone's business.

It really does help. No one ever talks about it on this forum, people just skip right over it, making me feel like I am seriously weird or something LOL. Supposedly 20-80% of bipolar people experience hypersexuality. I am really excited to see my NP, I really need to bring this up with her.

Do you have any special treatment or anything related to this Intent?

Thank you, I will try to find it, it really does help to see that I am not alone here.

Thanks for the link to the article
It's reassuring reading the replies on this thread as I know I'm not alone. It's been a problem for me since I was probably 12 or 13 and too young to understand what was going on. Since then, over the last 22 years I've struggled with periods where my sexual behaviour was out of control, and then I'd be left wondering why I'd been out sleeping around and looking at stuff online. Now I have a diagnosis and understand Bipolar, it's obvious, but I'm still struggling to get people to understand it. They simply see it as an excuse to cover sexual indiscretion and don't understand that it's a symptom of an illness. Very frustrating.
I read somewhere that hyper-sexuality is more of an issue with female sufferers of Bipolar, as is rapid cycling. I found this rather interesting as I experience both (I'm male) but as a young teen and up until my early twenties and beyond I very strongly identified as being female and felt I was in the wrong body. Times were different then and it wasn't something that was discussed, much like mental health.
Hyper-sexuality really is a fascinating, if somewhat destructive element of Bipolar. Thanks to those who've shared on this thread, I've found it helpful.

I don't think its skipped on this forum. There have been many post about hypersexuality that I have see.

but A. not everyone experiences it
B. Bipolar hypersexuality means in a hypo or manic episode. If is a constant thing it may just be the person's baseline
C. If hypersexuality does not cause personal problems for the person hey that's great. But if it puts you in danger or you are hurting others it is a significant symptom that needs to be controlled.

It's been on this forum many times. I've been around since 2012 and oh is it here. This is the second time it's been on here in one week. I agree with the above post.