But while these stories play well among addiction aficionados, they draw catcalls from health care professionals. In the medical field, that can be very dangerous. Treating a problem that is not a problem can be as dangerous as not treating a problem that is a problem. Individually, none of these activities suggests addiction. Patrick Carnes, a leading researcher whose book ''Don't Call it Love'' is frequently cited by other specialists, describes an addictive cycle that includes preoccupation with sexual thoughts, compulsive sexual behavior and then feelings of despair and shame until the cycle begins again.
Some physicians consider the diagnosis pure quackery.
Many psychiatrists view sex addiction as a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder, a disease they believe should only be treated under a doctor's care. Much of the confusion flows from the fact that no one has proven a chemical cause of sexual addiction. Whereas drugs and alcohol are known to trigger addiction by causing measurable changes in brain chemistry, there is no such scientifically proven chemical cause of sexual addiction. Sex addicts and addictions researchers believe there is a chemical basis for a disease diagnosis. Just about everyone has experienced the rush of adrenaline, rising heart rate, heightened sense of awareness, dilated pupils and sweaty palms commonly associated with sexual arousal.