The hypersexual defence in the contexts of Freud, Klein, Winnicott, and Fairbairn

Hypersexuality is a condition characterized by a persistent inability to regulate intense sexual impulses, resulting in recurrent and compulsive sexual behaviours over an extended period. This behavioural pattern significantly impairs overall functioning and causes considerable emotional distress. It has been suggested that hypersexual behaviour does not stem solely from sexual motives. It may also function as a psychological defence against emotional and relational emptiness, serving as an unconscious strategy to mitigate existential anxiety. At the Sexological Clinic, Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen in Denmark, men diagnosed with hypersexuality participate in psychodynamic group therapy, attending weekly sessions for a duration of six to 24 months. This paper examines psychodynamic theories, drawing on Freud’s foundational concepts pleasure and reality principles as well as later object relations theories developed by Klein, Winnicott, and Fairbairn. Specifically, it explores hypersexuality in relation to Klein’s positions, Winnicott’s theories on an individual’s capacity to be alone, and compares the hypersexual defence to the schizoid defence through the lens of Fairbairn. Ultimately, the paper highlights the significance of psychodynamic group therapy in the treatment of this condition.