Nymphomania: a mental disorder for winners or woman?

What do Charlie Sheen and Tiger Woods have in common besides being infamously controversial? Well they’ve both been labeled nymphos. Yet, are they? Nymphomania was originally considered a disease for women. The first “nympho” was a woman named Miss T whom was diagnosed in 1842. Back then a female’s reproductive system was seen as something that directly affects her brain. (The irony is that it is now a common joke that men tend to think with their private parts more than their brain.) Doctors originally tried autopsies on people who they believed had the disorder. They found nothing conclusive.

The truth is nymphomania is a diseased created by ideals, morals, and values. The truth is we, males and females, have different levels of sexuality.  Though, and I am being candid, sexuality is determined naturally and not by choice. This is why Victorian woman would freak out if their libido mirrored that of a man. The ideals espoused by man oppressed a woman’s sexuality. The closest thing someone can come to being a nymphomaniac is being hyper sexualized. 

Yet, many sexologists have trouble agreeing with what hyper sexuality or sexual addiction is. The DSM describes hyper sexuality as being part of other disorders such as bi-polar disorder or schizophrenia; it’s consider an element of hypomania. It is also seen as neurochemical and/or a psychological disorder. 

Me? Well I believe hyper sexuality can only adversely affect a person if: A.) They have the ability to have sex whenever and B.) if they choose to do so. A hyper sexual person unable to find someone to fornicate can’t use, abuse, relapse (whatever you want to call it). People like Tiger Woods and Charlie Sheen are exactly like how the comedy central series South Park portrays them: famous men using the veil of addiction to justify their promiscuity. (In the show they said it was a magic Wizard that cursed them, but you get the point.)


-Matt Harriett