Autism and sexual desire

ADHD is reasonably linked with possible hypersexuality in men and women.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30852107/

That's probably why there might be so many autistic horn dogs supposedly. Its not due to their autism its their ADHD and so even people with just ADHD can have the same problem. Makes me wonder just how many so called 'autistic traits' are actually due to other comorbid conditions.  I have to admit this is a post with a substantial amount of interest in it by people.  Being hypersexual means you have a condition not that your just open and liberal.

NAS71674 said:

Being hypersexual means you have a condition not that your just open and liberal.

Is it? hyper-sexuality isn't in the DSM-5. the closest equivalent in the ICD-11 is 6C72 Compulsive sexual behaviour disorder which only applies to those who can't restrain their sexual impulses  not those who choose not to. To quote the final paragraph of the ICD-11 entry

"The pattern of failure to control intense, sexual impulses or urges and resulting repetitive sexual behaviour is manifested over an extended period of time (e.g., 6 months or more), and causes marked distress or significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. Distress that is entirely related to moral judgments and disapproval about sexual impulses, urges, or behaviours is not sufficient to meet this requirement."

So really being a 'horn dog' is really not a medical condition.

When I was younger if another man tried to start a fight with me in a club I would say "violence just proves your not intelligent enough to argue with me" or something like that. It did not go down well!

I know quite a few people who are hypersexual. Some are together in monogamous relationships and they work really well. Others are in polyamorous (or otherwise a it more open) relationships and they work really well too.

If there's the right communication, hypersexuality can be really positive and constructive.

Respectfully, as esteemed as mayo clinic may be as an institution I don't think you can argue their patient information pages are intended as clear cut definitions of medical conditions.

I can summarise why hyper sexuality does not meet the criteria for a medical condition.

• There is no consistently presenting objectively negative symptom.
• There is no distinct boundary where hyper sexuality begins, it's merely the extreme end of normal human behaviour.
• Most examples given of potential pathological hyper sexual behaviour seem like they may also fall under other mental health conditions.

The fact its not in the dsm-5 and that ICD-11 only acknowledges it as a problem when serious distress is involved tends to suggest prevailing medical opinion is on my side at present. I question your reliance on your own personal experience as an argument, indeed it seems to be the core of your argument. It's not very scientific, It can't be replicated or measured objectively.

M said:

once I feel I've reached my limit of interest in them as individuals I move on to the next one

That's probably because most people lack any depth of personality - they are literally a veneer over a lot of nothingness.    Once you've chatted to them a couple of times you've plumbed the (shallow) depths of their life experience and are left feeling 'is that it?'    Next......

This is why I prefer dealing with well-rounded aspies - they know stuff about lots of weird subjects - they are normally married and holding down a niche job but they usually have a million hobbies going on in the background..

I'm very self-analytical too and I think it has been magnified by my choice of career. I also feel emotions very intensely, including those of others, like a sponge. I do struggle with subtlety but if people are blatantly showing strong emotion then I can't avoid feeling it even if I want to. 

I think we are all different and just share commonality. I think perhaps PEOPLE are a special interest of mine, but once I feel I've reached my limit of interest in them as individuals I move on to the next one. 

My psychologist says she's not met any aspies like me - my own personal brutal self-analysis has opened her eyes to what's really going on with autistic people - the multiple levels of anxiety and masking and compulsions and having to be a good person and over driving need to understand what's going on around us and having difficulties sorting out the data-overload...

The only limits I've ever felt are the ones imposed onto me by others - normally from their tragic lack of imagination.

I suppose some people are closer to the autistic stereotype than others... 

NAS71674 said:

You sound wildly extroverted. I think nearly all autistics are not like that. You must be very special.

I am very, very different to almost everyone else, ASD or NT.     Some people say I'm special - others say 'hard work'      I have lived a bit of an extreme life and that comes with a lot of first-hand experience..

How someone sounds in written word and how someone actually is in real life can be very different things. 

I think a lot of autistic women can appear extroverted but need to recover from the social performances that we participate in. 

How someone sounds in written word and how someone actually is in real life can be very different things. 

I think a lot of autistic women can appear extroverted but need to recover from the social performances that we participate in.