Young Adults with Depression Exhibiting Symptoms Akin to Compulsive Sexual Behavior: A Case Series

Depression can often present similar to compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) disorder is defined by the International Classification of Diseases, Eleventh Revision, as a persistent pattern of failure to control intense, repetitive sexual impulses, or urges, resulting in repetitive sexual behavior. This includes compulsive masturbation, persistent use of pornography, frequent indulgences in sexual intercourse in a day, and unsafe sex, all of which cause marked distress or impairment in personal, familial, social, educational, or occupational areas of functioning. Stigma against mental health is one of the limiting factors for the presentation of patients with CSB disorders at large at psychiatry outpatient services. Association of negative mood states has been found with CSB disorders which often respond well with pharmacotherapy like SSRI’s apart from other non-pharmacological measures.