Exploring the internet's role in sexual compulsivity and out of control sexual thoughts/behaviour: A qualitative study of gay and bisexual men in New York City

Abstract

Sexual compulsivity and the internet have been investigated separately among gay and bisexual men for their connection to sexual risk behaviour, yet little research has addressed the intersection. This analysis explored qualitative interview data from 111 gay and bisexual men experiencing out of control sexual thoughts and/or behaviours, about the role of the internet in their lives. For some it facilitated their problematic sexual thoughts and behaviours and, to some extent, was a distraction from important facets of their lives. Equally, men identified strategies to limit their internet use and reduce these negative consequences. For some, the internet was attributed to being less discriminating about partners. In contrast, other men compared the internet to other venues for meeting sex partners (e.g. bars) and described the internet as a medium for reducing physical (cruising online versus cruising a dark alley) and sexual (multiple partners at bathhouses versus cyber-sex only) risk. Clinically, service providers should conduct more thorough assessments regarding the role of the internet in the lives of patients who experience sexual compulsivity, as many individual differences exist, and there may be positive benefits that stem from internet use.

Internet sex addiction: A review of empirical research

“…The symptoms relevant for a diagnosis of addiction experienced by this sample included preoccupations with sexual thoughts and behaviours, strong urges for sex, loss of control, the use of sex as coping mechanism, negative consequences, and a significant loss of time (Grov, Bamonte, Fuentes, Parsons, Bimbi, & Morgenstern, 2008). Overall, the results of this study emphasized the pathological nature of sex addiction.…”

“…Here again, the presence of depressive symptoms may account for the pathological status of Internet sex addiction. Grov, Bamonte, Fuentes, et al, (2008) explored the Internet's role in sexual compulsivity by means of conducting qualitative interviews with a sample of 111 homosexual and bisexual men who experienced sexual behaviours and thoughts that were out of control. These men were recruited using a targeted sampling framework (Watters & Biernacki, 1989).…”

A Systematic Review of Online Sex Addiction and Clinical Treatments Using CONSORT Evaluation

“…In that review, only 14 empirical studies of Internet sex addiction in adults were identified that met all of the inclusion criteria (nine quantitative studies [29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37] and five qualitative studies [28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41]). …”

Trust and Sexual Interaction: The Significance of the Internet on the Sex life and Sexual Risk Behaviors Of Gay and Bisexual Men in Spain

“…According to Bancroft (2008) and Grov et al (2008), there are some gay and bisexual men who are experiencing sexual thoughts/behaviors perceived as "out of control." Thus, the use of the Internet to seek sexual partners may be associated with, in some cases, compulsive behaviors (Engler, Frigault, Léobon, & Lévy, 2007;Kalichman, Cherry, Cain, Pope, & Kalichman, 2005).…”

“…Men interested in finding sex on the Internet now have a powerful communication tool that is comfortable (e.g., it can be used from home), anonymous, acceptable (the norm in the gay community, given its acceptance by mostly gay men), cheap, and very widely available (Grov et al, 2008).…”