Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors as a Treatment for Sexual Compulsivity

Abstract

(from the chapter) This chapter beings with a discussion of sexual compulsivity (SXC), its manifestations, and diagnostic issues. The authors then review the literature on SXC and HIV risk behavior among gay men. Following this is a description of the existing evidence for the effectiveness of serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) medications in reducing obsessive-compulsive behavioral disorders and sexual disorders. The authors argue that, despite significant social barriers to implementation, the promise of SSRIs as a method of reducing unwanted sexually compulsive behaviors and thereby preventing HIV transmission among individuals with SXC is sufficient to warrant research on this topic. An ongoing research study evaluating SSRI treatment for SXC among men who have sex with men. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)