Sex addiction, a term first coined in the early 80s, has always been met with controversy. Some say the label of addiction is an excuse used by those who have lost their moral compass or refuse to accept responsibility for their sexual choices. Others claim the label is used to pass moral judgement on those whose sex lives or internet viewing habits do not fit societally prescribed norms. The acceptance by WHO of CSBD (Compulsive Sexual Behaviour Disorder) into ICD11 was heralded as a moral victory by the sex addiction naysayers who claimed WHO’s position ‘proved’ it wasn’t an addiction; conversely sex addiction professionals claimed victory saying that finally this was a step in the right direction. This paper will explore the divide and provide insight on how using a pure medical model of addiction has contributed and fueled the debate. An alternative model for conceptualization from a biopsychosocial perspective will be provided to suggest ways of moving forward that could ease the controversies as well as opening new areas for research and most importantly, greater understanding and empathy for clients.

性成瘾这个词最早出现在 80 年代初，一直饱受争议。有人说，成瘾的标签是那些失去道德指南针或拒绝为自己的性选择承担责任的人的借口。其他人声称该标签用于对那些性生活或互联网观看习惯不符合社会规定规范的人进行道德判断。WHO 将 CSBD（强迫性行为障碍）纳入 ICD11 被性成瘾反对者认为是道德上的胜利，他们声称 WHO 的立场“证明”这不是一种成瘾；相反，性成瘾专业人士声称取得了胜利，称最终这是朝着正确方向迈出的一步。本文将探讨这种分歧，并提供有关使用成瘾的纯医学模型如何促成和推动辩论的见解。