Treatment of Sexual Addiction Within the British National Health Service

Abstract

Results showed that 53 of the 58 MHTs (91%) did not provide any service (specialist or otherwise) for treating those with problematic sexual behaviours. Based on the responses provided, only five MHTs reported having had treated sexual addiction as a disorder that took primacy over the past five years. There was also some evidence to suggest that the NHS may potentially treat sexual addiction as a secondary disorder that is intrinsic and/or co-morbid to the initial referral made by the GP. As it stands, treatment for problematic sexual behaviours in Great Britain is often delivered within a private sector. While Foundation Trusts have more flexibility with their funding, implementing specialist treatment for sexual addiction at this point in time is very limited. In implications for treatment in a British context is discussed.

Barriers to female sex addiction treatment in the UK

“…The misconception that SA services are specialist services was a significant finding in the study by Griffiths and Dhuffar (2014) highlighted earlier. Therefore, this may lead a treatment seeker to consider going to a more established SA treatment location in another country (e.g., US), but the cost might be prohibitively expensive.…”

“…), as well as legitimacy among the psychiatric community following the reconceptualization of gambling disorder from a disorder of impulse control to a behavioral addiction in the latest (fifth) edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association (APA), 2013], it has become essential to understand and develop provisions of treatment for such disorders (Dhuffar & Griffiths 2015a; Griffiths & Dhuffar, 2014). One (arguably controversial) behavioral addiction that has received increasing research interest is sex addiction (SA) (Griffiths, 2010).…”

“…Griffiths and Dhuffar (2014) investigated what treatment services were available within the British National Health Service (NHS) using Freedom of Information requests sent to all 58 Mental Health Trusts (MHTs) in the UK. Results showed that 53 of the 58 MHTs (91%) did not provide any service for treating those with SA or HD (but this may be a reflection that individuals do not seek treatment for such disorders).…”

“…As noted above, SA as a clinical concept is not listed within any current psychiatric diagnostic manuals (e.g., DSM-5); therefore, it is not only a challenge to diagnose, but also treatment is generally not funded in the UK by the Department of Health nor does it appear in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines, whereby treatment seekers could potentially receive psychotherapy under the NHS (see Griffiths & Dhuffar, 2014). …”

Compulsive sexual behaviour as a behavioural addiction: the impact of the internet and other issues

“…The paper also appears to have an underlying assumption that empirical research from a neurobiological/genetic perspective should be treated more seriously than from a psychological perspective. Whether problematic sexual behaviour is described as CSB, sex addiction and/or hypersexual disorder, there are thousands of psychological therapists around the world who treat such disorders [7]. Consequently, clinical evidence from those who help and treat such individuals should be given greater credence by the psychiatric community.…”