Definition of Sexual Health
What is Sexual Health?
Sexual health is a state of physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being in relation to sexuality. It involves a positive and respectful approach to sexual connection, both with oneself and others, emphasizing the ability to experience pleasure and safety, free from coercion, discrimination, and violence.
Sexual health encompasses access to accurate information, inclusive care, and the resources needed to make informed, autonomous decisions about sexual activities and reproductive health. It recognizes sexual rights for individuals of all genders, cultural backgrounds, orientations, and relationship statuses, and embraces the individual and relational aspects of well-being.
Healthy sexual behaviors align with personal values, honor commitments, and foster growth, authenticity, and respect. They support personal and relational health by promoting safety, congruence with one's values, and meaningful connection.
True sexual health also involves healing—processing past experiences, creating safety for authentic connection, and rebuilding a relationship with one’s sexuality that is free from shame and rooted in wholeness. This transformative journey of recovery enables individuals to reconnect with themselves and others, fostering a sense of fulfillment and authenticity in their sexual and relational lives.
What is PSB?
Problematic Sexual Behaviors (PSB) is an umbrella term that includes any sexual or romantic behavior that is problematic to the individual and those connected to them.
Problematic Sexual Behaviors (PSB), like other problematic behaviors, occur on a continuum. While resources are needed for any issues that cause conflict or pain for individuals or relationships, there is a dramatic differentiation between the two ends of the continuum. Historically, both academia and the clinical community have struggled to agree on an official definition of out-of-control sexual behavior. This has increased confusion and hindered both research and development of effective treatment (Borgogna et al., 2022).
What is CSBD?
The current diagnosis related to PSB at a compulsive level is “Compulsive Sexual Behaviour Disorder” (CSBD), included in the ICD-11 under Impulse Control Disorders. According to the ICD-11 (World Health Organization, 2024), CSBD is characterized by a persistent failure to control intense, repetitive sexual impulses, resulting in behavior that becomes central to the individual's life, often to the neglect of health, personal care, or other responsibilities. It is a pattern of behaviors over time (six months or longer), continues despite multiple attempts to stop and causes significant distress or impairment. These behaviors cannot be explained by bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, personality disorders, paraphilic disorders, the effects of substances or medications, substance use disorders, and neurocognitive impairments. Often beginning in pre-adolescence or adolescence, the disorder is associated with high rates of childhood trauma, particularly sexual abuse, and frequently co-occurs with other mental disorders. It is crucial to distinguish between genuine impaired control and distress arising from internal or external moral judgments. Either can cause a behavior to be problematic for an individual or relationship, but treatment for behaviors due to impaired control needs to include additional support around breaking those patterns.