Selection Review:

“Is Sex Addiction a Myth?”

by:

Christian V. Cruz

Summary

The selected topic is basically about a debate over a very interesting topic; whether a
certain term does have a reality or is it just plainly a myth. The selection was introduced by
using definition of terms, either by the societal or moral norms and/or other semantics, as the
basic premise. Then, it is followed by the arguments presented by Psychotherapist William
Henkins. Henkins believes that sex addiction is a myth. His argument goes around with
recounting the traditions in the past regarding perceptions to sex and sexual or sensual
behaviors from different societies. Then, he opened by defining and describing what addiction
and compulsion is. Furthermore, he differentiates condition from behavior. Thus, arguing how
come sexual behaviors may lead to addiction, whereas addiction is a habituation associated to
substances that lead to tolerance. He quoted the works of Levine and Troiden and criticized it
by stating that the definitions of sexually compulsive or addictive behaviors are subjective and
they are not based from clinical researches but merely from morally and socially accepted
norms. He cited for example the kinds of definitions taken from three sexual scripts: the
procreative, relational and recreational. He even playfully contested the given definition about
sexual behavior by DSM III that sexual behaviors and sexual compulsion are just products of
prevailing social and cultural standards. By setting this arguments as a mood to make his attack,
he followed it up with an introduction to the man he is arguing with. He named and cited in
details the flaws in Carnes’ stand about sexual addiction. In the end, he concluded that really,
based from his arguments, sex addiction does not exist.
 On the other hand, it was Sexologist Patrick J. Carnes’ turn to present his piece. He
started by enumerating signs of addiction in terms of situational examples. Then, it was
supported by the reasons behind oppositions to the idea that sex addiction exists and those are
the key roles where sex plays. Then, he listed ten signs of sexual addiction based from his
group’s research and clinical experience, wherein all signs are overt behaviors. He then,
explained to what extent a person can be classified as a “sex addict” and he emphasized that it
is not the amount of occurrence but of patterns. He then explained how addiction manifests
amidst the absence of substances. By this, he explained the chemistry life of the nervous
system, particularly the brain, during sexual activities; that it releases certain kind of chemicals
that enhances sexual performance and that makes a person to become hook in it. Then, he
supported his explanations by means of letting his previous clients to illustrate what happened
to them when they were under treatment and therapy to control their addiction. Then, he
compared sex addiction to other addictions so as to see clearly how it levels with the other
kinds of addictions, so that it may lead to an assumption that, like other addictions, sex
addiction is one of them. He then, insisted that denial of a certain problem might lead to a
more prevalent occurrence of it.

Analysis
Setting the Mood

When I was reading this selection, I have recall some encounters when was still studying
AB Philosophy as my college course. In Philosophy, philosophers had their own stage of
presenting their own pieces to prove and disprove a certain issue. Philosophical reflections
often start with posing absurd questions and answer it back with more absurd questions. That
is because philosophy is speculative. It tries to answer the deepest questions about human
existence and essence using human intellection and abstraction. In this tone of my note, I can
say the selection is like that. Base from my summary, it is actually a debate of two psychology
giants of their own era or time. They try to prove and disprove a particular issue about human
essence and existence like the philosophers. However, what makes the selection different from
philosophical arguments is that the selection is facts based and not merely on philosophical
speculations. Though, all arguments follow a certain logical pattern, nonetheless, it is scientific
and it is really an issue intended to be resolve for a particular purpose. And that is to clarify
whether sex addiction does or does not exist.

Resolving such may give enlightenment to the consequential questions it might have. If
sex addiction is just a myth what would be the chain effects of it or if it is not what would be
the case? If it’s a myth then, there is nothing to worry about being ill of doing sexual activities
as a habit. However, what would be its implications to the existing societal and moral norms?
Should a parent allow his or her children to have sex because there is no health problem at all;
thus nothing is bad. If that would be the case, I can imagine priests, bishops, pastors or
whoever head of religions to march on the streets and yell at the government to stop it. But, if
sex addiction is not a myth, it is something to be called attention to by mental health experts.
However, if this is something that obstruct health and wellness for a person, does this mean a
license for sexually abusive person to get away with there crime?

A Meaningful Play of Terms

Recalling a stored knowledge about logic may be a good introduction in this part of my
analysis. Term is derived from the Latin “terminus” which means “boundary”. Definition is
defined as “to put within limits”. The selection is introduced about defining a label to affect
people’s reaction. The floating issue here first is the question “To what limit is sex addiction”.
What does the comprehension when encountering the words “Sex addiction?” “What are the
extensions of the label “sex addict” what are its properties? What makes it different from the
others?

But, using the lens of psychology and psychopathology, the issue is not only limited to
the logical properties of a term. Sex addiction represents a certain reality which is a disorder or
a dysfunction of a normal mental life. Identifying, defining, and describing, a certain
psychological condition or behavior does not only mean by using lexical dictionaries to know
something about it. It is based on research, clinical experiences and medical findings, in other
words, empirically science. That is why Henkin argue’s that even the DSM describe sexual
behaviors to be pathological if and only if it violates an erotic norm or simply a societal or moral
norm. If that would be the case, Henkin has a point on that. Although Carnes back his
arguments up with clinical and research experience and practice that there are manifestations
of sexual addiction as pathological, still it is not defined by DSM, not even included in the V
codes. These give me an assumption, if in validating the definitions and descriptions of sex
addiction big problem occurs, that, as a chain effect, it affects the arguments.

The question now is “what should be the foundational definition and description of that
which is termed as “sex addiction”? However, it is understandable that when researchers are
studying a certain condition, though it must be scientifically based, it is impossible that they
would not touch the sociological nature of such condition, even a little. Of course, researchers
must identify the diagnostic features, prevalence, specific culture and gender features. Doing
such is by means of drawing samples from a population with to test whether such criteria are
relevant to their study. In other words, there is a prevailing confusion whether “sex addiction”
is a condition or a violation of a social and moral norm.

Issue on Responsibility

In the book Fagothey’s Right and Reason, for a doer of an act to be judged as morally
responsible two criteria must be present: knowledge and will; with either of the two were not
present in an occurrence of an act shapes the doer’s responsibility. A habit begins from a
human act which by constant performance leads to habituation. There are two types of habit:
the good habit (virtue) and bad habit (vice). But both, if done, lessen a doer’s responsibility to
an act making it an act of man. But it is not only habituation that makes a doer’s responsibility
to be shaped. There are other factors like fear, anger, hatred, joy and other feelings and
emotions, force and etc. In relation to the selection, the issue is about sex addiction. If Carnes’
justification is correct and true, sex addiction would have been a bad habit. Thus it makes a sex
addict’s moral responsibility to commit a sexually abusive behavior lesser. But it is another
story to use it as a legal defense.

Although, formulation of laws is based from ethical reflections, both moral and legal
issues are different. An act may have been judged morally good but illegal and vice versa. A
legal issue to be resolved it must follow a proper legal reasoning. In practice, it must follow a
constitution. In the Philippines, the sexual behaviors Carnes has mentioned are considered
crime under the Revised Penal Code. If my interpretation is right, sexual addiction could not be
used as a legal defense. But, if convicted guilty of the crime, he might undergo rehabilitation
first, but eventually, after the treatment, that person should be penalized.

Belief on Addiction

Play of jargons is what makes Henkin’s arguments standing on the stage. Base from my
preceding answers, and as a continuation, he resembles to a pragmatics philosophers way of
thinking. His is like a liberalist or he is like a radical. Henkin’s arguments revolve around the play
of semantics. He considers “sex addiction as a myth”, although Carnes has listed behavioral
manifestations; such is not a term proper for those manifestations. Carnes explains why there is
a resistance to the belief that it is because of the role sex plays as a center or a key. How can a
certain idea be addictive if it is considered taboo? How can something be addictive if it is part of
life itself? Carnes explanation and Henkin’s intellectual acrobat interrelates. Therefore it makes
Henkin’s belief strong enough and that makes Carnes to explain his resistance.

Redefining and Reconstructing “Addiction”

To align my reasoning, I used the background of term addiction has been presented in
the selection in the part of Henkin’s arguments. Particularly, addiction is Latin in derivation, ad,
which is a preposition in the fifth declension of the Latin grammar that means: by, upon, and
dicere, a verb which means to speak or to dictate, that is why Henkin’s meant it as of Roman
Law which means surrender by sentence of a judge. Thus, if it is meant as a sentence of judge,
that denotes curtailment of free choice and free will. In the term and definition by Carnes, the
concept of curtailment is prevalent. In relation to, addiction, therefore, is a bad habit that one
has acquired due to conditioning and reinforcement, and thus lessens a doer’s responsibility to
do sexual acts. Sexual behaviors are indeed pleasurable; it feels good to keep it doing. But
keeping it doing leads to certain consequences which are judged as not good by the society. It
might lead to abuse such as rape, incest, child abuse, sometimes, even murder in some cases
due to other factors. Now, to redefine the term as pathological in nature, using the logic of
definition, limiting to proper boundaries must be considered, especially the semantics of the
term. To do so entails another room for study and research. However, given a limited time, I
redefined it as this.
Addiction is condition that is acquired through habituation, conditioning and reinforcement of
human act is established; establishment of such results to satisfaction that leads to tolerance
and thus hinders a person to perform daily routines and that refraining from performing such
leads to difficulty and results to dysfunction.

Conclusion

Using the arguments of the two, I would agree with Henkin’s. Logically, sexual addiction
may not exist. But considering Carnes’ arguments, he must assign a more logically correct term
to prove the reality he is supposing to be in existence. But it might be alarming that the
manifestations he listed of someone who is suspected as “sex addict” are really occurring.