"Don Juanism"

Here's something peculiar and psychological:

I'm doing a little research on sexual addiction. It's not an actual "diagnosis" in terms of the DSM these days, but it was once upon a time. In the DSM-III (we're now on DSM-IV), hypersexuality -- which includes both sexual thoughts and behaviors with self and other -- was listed under Sexual Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. They called it "Don Juanism" or "nymphomania."

Apparently, they removed this diagnosis (NOS, anyway) because there are no parameters for identifying "healthy" sexual activity, in terms of quantity. See, if you can't tell a person that having sex only once a month is too little, you can't really go telling them that having it four times a day is too much.

Basically, you've got to look at this issue in light of whether it's causing problems with your interpersonal relationships, your work or causing you other psychological distress. I've read case studies where people have gotten so hooked on masturbation that it causes them to be late to work, causes them to take really long bathroom breaks at work, causes them to take lunches that are too long and whatnot. So then they get fired. *That* is the kind of problem they're talking about. That and women who pick up men in bars all the time for anonymous sex and then get beaten up repeatedly -- but do nothing by way of changing their behavior. That's the problem at heart.

Hardly what comes to mind when you think of Don Juan, is it?