{"id":48546,"date":"2015-10-08T11:57:52","date_gmt":"2015-10-08T18:57:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=48546"},"modified":"2015-10-08T11:57:52","modified_gmt":"2015-10-08T18:57:52","slug":"nymphomania-furor-uterinus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2015\/10\/08\/nymphomania-furor-uterinus\/","title":{"rendered":"Nymphomania (Furor Uterinus)"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Ruwan M Jayatunge M.D. and Laurent Karila, MD, PhD Paul Brousse\u00a0University\u00a0Hospital, Villejuif, France<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Problematic sexual behaviors have been identified for centuries and Nymphomania has become a controversial subject among the clinicians. Nymphomania is considered as an organic disease, psychological disorder and a legal construct (Groneman, 2001).<\/p>\n

The term nymphomania resonates with a sense of the insatiable sexuality of women, devouring, depraved, and diseased. It conjures up an aggressively sexual female who both terrifies and titillates men (Groneman, 1994).<\/p>\n

In general notion nymphomania is defined as a neurotic condition in women in which the symptoms are a compulsion to have sexual intercourse with as many men as possible and an inability to have lasting relationships with them. Hypersexuality in males sometimes known as Don-Juanism (Shainess, 1972).<\/p>\n

Nymphomania is a compulsive sexual behaviours which include conventional behaviours that are taken to such obsessive extremes that they interfere with everyday life. Nymphomania shows a symptom-profile similar to the current notion of \u2018sexual addiction\u2019 (Goodman, 1998; Berrios&Rivi\u00e8re, 2006). Since\u00a0 the\u00a0 appearance\u00a0 of\u00a0 sexual\u00a0 addiction\u00a0 in\u00a0 the clinical literature, various\u00a0 terms have been used to name the\u00a0 condition,\u00a0 including\u00a0 nymphomania,\u00a0 Don\u00a0 Juanism,\u00a0 satyriasis , sexual compulsivity,\u00a0 sexual\u00a0 impulsivity ,\u00a0 out-of-control\u00a0 sexual\u00a0 behavior , sexual\u00a0 addiction,\u00a0 and\u00a0 hypersexual\u00a0 behaviour \u00a0(Karila et al., 2014).<\/p>\n

The term nymphomania was inspired by Greek mythology: nymphs are minor deities represented as beautiful maidens. The nymph was a female character who could either resist male desire, or could be sexually promiscuous herself, to the point of aggression (Cohen, 2014).<\/p>\n

Hippocrates (460 BC) wrote uncontrolled sexual behaviours in young girls (under the term of melancholy madness) and recommended marriage as the cure (King, 1998).\u00a0 For centuries it was named as madness from the womb. In some cultures clitoridectomy was performed as a treatment measure. According to Brooten (1996) clitoridectomy was the suggested remedy for women with an overly large clitoris or masculine desires\u201d. This concept of masculine desires\u201d in women may also have included the act of being sexually aggressive\u201d towards men. Furthermore as conservative management hemp seed emulsion was used to treat furor uterinus or nymphomania (Russo, 2002).<\/p>\n

The treatment of nymphomaniawas discussed in the Aurvedic Medicine (Rao, 2003).The origin of Ayurveda is attributed to Atharva Veda where mention is made several diseases with their treatments. Later, from the 6th<\/sup>\u00a0Century BC to 7th<\/sup>\u00a0Century AD\u00a0(Narayanaswamy<\/em>,\u00a01981<\/em>).The Ayurvedic <\/em>medicine recommended herbal treatmentfor impulse-control disorders such as\u00a0\u00a0 hypersexuality (Jansen et al., 2014).<\/p>\n

Health care in Ancient Sri Lanka would go back about 5000 years (De Silva, 2015). The ancient Sri Lankan physicians identified extreme<\/em>\u00a0sexual behaviour in women and named it as Kinnara Umathuwa or Narikaunmadaya. For the affected subjects healing rituals were performed. These ritualsconstitute behavioral treatments (Bartlett, 1989).<\/p>\n

The Buddhist J\u0101taka stories that were compiled from the 3rd Century B.C. to the 5th Century A.D. narrates about a princess named Krishna (in Maha Kunala J\u0101takaya) who had suggestive features of Nymphomania or sexual addiction (Jayatunge, 2015).<\/p>\n

History\u00a0recounts several infamous women with\u00a0extraordinary\u00a0sexual libido. The\u00a0Empress Messalina (born in around 20 AD) who was the third wife of the emperor Claudius had\u00a0an enormous\u00a0sexual disinhibition.\u00a0To quench her sexual thrust Messalina incognito used to go to brothels frequently.<\/p>\n

The queen Anuladevi of Sri Lanka reigned from 47 BC \u2013to 42 BC and became famous for her promiscuous behavior. She poisoned her husband the King Chora- Naga and came in to power. Anuladevi became the first queen in Sri Lankan history who had meaningful power and authority.<\/p>\n

According to the historical reports Anuladevi had sexual sensation seeking behaviour. She was fond of men and had a number of affairs with the commoners. Ironically she used to poison her lovers after her erotic desires had been satisfied. She had extreme desire for sex and power.<\/p>\n

As described in the Mahavamsa – the Great Chronicle of Sri Lanka in her last four months in power Queen Anuladevi had sexual relationships with 30 young men. Finally as a result of a coup she lost her power and her opponents set fire to her palace. The queen Anuladevi was burnt alive.<\/p>\n

The Italian physician Girolamo Mercuriale(1530- 1606) believed that \u00a0immoderate burning in the genital area of the female, caused by the surging of hot vapour, bringing about an erection of the clitoris and causing hyper sexuality in them (Jung,\u00a0 \u200e2011).<\/p>\n

In 1769 a Scottish medical book published the term \u2018nymphomania and the French physician de Bienville, used this term in the medical context in 1771. From the 1880s to the 1930s, \u00a0 nymphomania began to be transformed from an organic illness with both mental and physical symptoms to a mental disorder caused by psychological factors (Groneman, 1995).<\/p>\n

Freud believed the unconscious was filled with sexual and erotic desire and the true cause of nymphomania was women’s failure to have vaginal rather than clitoral orgasms. According to Freudian theory, nymphomania grew out of a psychological condition he called frigidity, in which affected, or sexually immature, women were unable to achieve orgasm during sexual intercourse.As a result of their inability to be sexually satisfied, these women sought frequent sexual encounters as a means of gratifying their sexual needs (Cavendish, 2010).<\/p>\n

The German sexologist Richard Freiherr von\u00a0Krafft<\/em>–Ebing<\/em>described several cases of extreme sexual behaviours in women which he called insatiable succession of sexual enjoyments\u201dIn one of the cases Krafft<\/em>–Ebing<\/em>\u00a0decribes a woman diagnosed with Nymphomania<\/em>\u00a0and her \u00a0incestuous desire for her own son.<\/p>\n

The American Psychologist Albert Ellis became one of the founders of the American sexual revolution. His early work focused on nymphomania and he described a several cases of oversexed women.<\/p>\n

The word ‘nymphomania’, the concept of ‘madness from the womb’ and the belief in the existence of a behaviour consisting in an abnormally high female sexual drive converged during the second half of the seventeenth century to give rise to a new clinical category which, with minor changes, has survived until the present (e.g., in ICD-10) (Berrios &Rivi\u00e8re ,2006). Nymphomania was listed as a “sexual deviation” in the first DSM (Diagnosticand Statistical Manual of Mental<\/em>\u00a0Disorders) published in 1951.<\/p>\n

The International Classification of Diseases or ICD-10, includes “Excessive sexual drive” as a diagnosis (code F52.7), subdividing it into satyriasis (for males) and nymphomania (for females). However Hypersexual Disorder was proposed as a new psychiatric disorder for consideration in the Sexual Disorders section for DSM-V.\u00a0 But it failed and the highly relevant clinical concept ‘hypersexuality’ has still not been incorporated as a separate category (Goethals &Cosyns, 2014).<\/p>\n

Nymphomania is a form of Compulsive sexual behavior. Compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) is a disorder featuring repetitive, intrusive and distressing sexual thoughts, urges and behaviors that negatively affect many aspects of an individual’s life (Derbyshire & Grant\u00a0 2015). Nymphomania can co-occurr with psychiatric disorders and traumatic experiences.<\/p>\n

There is a stark contrast between the widespread myth of\u00a0nymphomania\u00a0and women who actually experience disruptive increases in sexual desire. Nymphomania\u00a0can be defined in terms of three distinct elements: marked increase in sexual drive; extremely frequent partner sexual behavior; promiscuity (Levine, 1982).<\/p>\n

Some describe of female compulsive sexual behavior in association with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Mulligan et al (2002) provide several case studies of female compulsive sexual behavior in association with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Some researchers believe that compulsive sexual behavior is a coping strategy to deal with serious stress or anxiety.<\/p>\n

There are strong counter-arguments against the diagnostic entity \u2013nymphomania.\u00a0\u00a0 Sexual desire is the subjective experience of being interested in sexual objects or activities or wishing to engage in sexual activities (Regan &Berscheid, 1999; Peplau<\/em>,\u00a02003<\/em>).\u00a0Therefore some Feminists argue that the diagnosis nemphomania\u201d has been used as a\u00a0\u00a0 cultural suppression of female sexuality.<\/p>\n

According to Groneman (1994) the medical diagnosis of nymphomania in the nineteenth century, constructed within a social and cultural context as well as within a scientific one, reflected and reproduced prevailing attitudes about appropriate behavior. Physicians, however, did not speak with a single voice: they did not agree on the nature of the disease, its extent, its treatment, or even what constituted normal female sexuality.Futhermore some feminists have argued that\u00a0 diagnosesuch as nymphomania has served to enforce conformity to norms of female domesticity, subordination, and subservience to men’s sexual needs; at times diagnoses have reaffirmed class distinctions as well\u201d (Marecek, 1993, )As indicated by Eriksen and \u00a0Kress (2005) feminist theorists believe that women’s anger, depression, and discontent have been reframed as medical or psychiatric symptoms, and that, as a result, the often difficult and distressing life circumstances of women have been disregarded.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

References <\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Bartlett ,A. (1989).Behavioural perspectives on a Sri Lankan healing ritual. Int J Soc Psychiatry. 35(3):245-51.<\/p>\n

Berrios, G.E., Rivi\u00e8re, L.(2006).’Madness from the womb’.Hist Psychiatry.\u00a0 17(66 Pt 2):223-35.<\/p>\n

Brooten, B. J. (1996) Love Between Women: Early Christian Responses to Female Homoeroticism. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago.<\/p>\n

Cavendish, M. (2010). Sex and Society: Generations.Cavendish Square Publishing.<\/p>\n

Derbyshire, K.L., Grant, J.E.(2015).Compulsive sexual behavior: a review of the literature.JBehav Addict.\u00a0 ;4(2):37-43.<\/p>\n

De Silva. N, (2015). Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions of South Asia, 40-56.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Eriksen, K., & Kress, V. E. (2005). Beyond the DSM story: Ethical quandaries, challenges, and best practices. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.<\/p>\n

Geiger, W. (1996). Mahavamsa: Great Chronicle of Ceylon.Asian Educational Services.<\/p>\n

Goethals, K, Cosyns P.(2014).[Sexual disorders in the DSM-5].TijdschrPsychiatr.\u00a0 ; 56(3):196-200.<\/p>\n

Groneman, C. (1994). ‘Nymphomania: The historical construction of female sexuality’ in Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society, 19 (2). \u00a0 343, 346.<\/p>\n

Groneman, C. (1995).Nymphomania and the Freudians. Psychohist Rev.\u00a0 ;23(2):125-42.<\/p>\n

Groneman, C. (2001).Nymphomania: A History.WW Norton.<\/p>\n

Jansen RL, Brogan B, Whitworth AJ, Okello EJ.(2014).Effects of five Ayurvedic herbs on locomotor behaviour in a Drosophila melanogaster Parkinson’s disease model. Phytother Res. 2014 Dec;28(12):1789-95.<\/p>\n

Jayatunge, R.M. (2015). Psychological Aspects of Buddhist Jathaka Stories. Godage Publishers Colombo.<\/p>\n

Jung , S. ( \u200e2011). Restless in Thought, Disturb\u2019d in Mind\u201d An Exploration of the Cultural Poetics of Madness in Hamlet and Ophelia from Shakespeare to Coleridge.Retrived from http:\/\/lib.ugent.be\/fulltxt\/RUG01\/001\/786\/339\/RUG01-001786339_2012_0001_AC.pdf<\/p>\n

Kafka, M.P. (2010).Hypersexual disorder: a proposed diagnosis for DSM-V.Arch Sex Behav. ;39(2):377-400.<\/p>\n

Karila L, W\u00e9ry A, Weinstein A, Cottencin O, Petit A, Reynaud M, Billieux J.(2014).Sexual addiction or hypersexual disorder: different terms for the same problem? A review of the literature. Curr Pharm Des. ;20(25):4012-20.<\/p>\n

King, H. (1998). Hippocrates’ Woman: Reading the Female Body in Ancient Greece.Routledge.<\/p>\n

Levine, S.B.(1982).A modern perspective on nymphomania. J Sex Marital Ther. ;8(4):316-24.<\/p>\n

Mulligan, A., Webb, M., Gill, M. (2002). A variant of nymphomania in association with obsessive-compulsive disorder: Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine Vol 19(3) Sep 2002, 96-98.<\/p>\n

Narayanaswamy<\/em>,\u00a0V<\/em>.(1981<\/em>)\u00a0Origin<\/em>\u00a0anddevelopment<\/em>\u00a0of\u00a0ayurveda<\/em>\u00a0(a\u00a0brief history<\/em>). Anc. Sci. Life, 1 (1), 1\u20137.<\/p>\n

Peplau<\/em>,\u00a0L. A.<\/em>\u00a0(2003<\/em>).\u00a0Human sexuality: How do men and women differ<\/em>? Current Directions in Psychological Science, 12(2), 37-40.<\/p>\n

Rao,A.V.(2003). Ayurvedic Treatment For Common Diseases.Diamond Pocket Books<\/p>\n

Regan, P.C., Berscheid, E. (1999). Lust: What we know about human sexual desire. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.<\/p>\n

Russo, E. 2002.Cannabis treatments in obstetrics and gynecology: A historical review.JCannabis Therapeutics 2(3\u20134):5\u201335.<\/p>\n

Samenow<\/em>,\u00a0C.P.<\/em>\u00a0(2010<\/em>).\u00a0Classifying Problematic Sexual Behaviors<\/em>\u2014It’s All in the Name<\/em>. Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity, 17:3\u20136.<\/p>\n

Shainess N.(1972).Nymphomania and Don Juanism.Med Trial Tech Q.\u00a0 ;19(1):1-6.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Ruwan M Jayatunge M.D. and Laurent Karila, MD, PhD Paul Brousse\u00a0University\u00a0Hospital, Villejuif, France Problematic sexual behaviors have been identified for centuries and Nymphomania has become a controversial subject among the clinicians. Nymphomania is considered as an organic disease, psychological disorder and a legal construct (Groneman, 2001). The term nymphomania resonates with a sense of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[68],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-48546","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dr-ruwan-m-jayatunge-m-d"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48546","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48546"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48546\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48546"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48546"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48546"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}