While there is no official diagnosis for sex addiction, clinicians and researchers have attempted to define the disorder using criteria based on chemical dependency literature. They include:

* Frequently engaging in more sex and with more partners than intended.
* Being preoccupied with or persistently craving sex; wanting to cut down and unsuccessfully attempting to limit sexual activity.
* Thinking of sex to the detriment of other activities or continually engaging in excessive sexual practices despite a desire to stop.
* Spending considerable time in activities related to sex, such as cruising for partners or spending hours online visiting pornographic Web sites.