People with more severe compulsive sexual behaviour tend to have more difficulty controlling their emotions when they are upset and have more difficulty expressing their emotions clearly. These people also tend to be less accepting of their emotions and show more pronounced traits of anxiety and avoidant attachment. This is according to a study by researchers from the Eli Coleman Institute for Sexual and Gender Health, the University of Minnesota Medical School and the Department of Psychology at Washington University in America. The study is published in the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior.

The authors of the study found that people with compulsive sexual behaviour have particular problems controlling and showing their emotions.

Sexual addiction is characterized by complex sexual thinking or actions that are difficult to control. This type of behaviour can cause significant discomfort or impairment in personal, social, or occupational functioning. It may involve fixation on sexual thoughts, urges, or behaviours that may be adverse or disfiguring, as opposed to healthy sexual expression.