Harvey Daisy, Rayson Paul, Lobban Fiona, Palmier-Claus Jasper, Dolman Clare, Jones Steven
Lancaster University, UK.
Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust, UK.
Inquiry. 2025 Jan-Dec;62:469580251338565. doi: 10.1177/00469580251338565. Epub 2025 May 21.
Bipolar is a severe mental health condition affecting at least 2% of the global population. Clinical observations indicate that individuals in elevated mood states, such as mania or hypomania, are more likely to engage in risk-taking behaviours, including hypersexuality. Characterised by an excessive preoccupation with sex, hypersexuality can lead to serious consequences such as sexual assault, unplanned pregnancies, and relationship breakdowns. Existing evidence suggests that opportunities for intervention in cases of hypersexuality in bipolar may currently be overlooked. This study provides insight into the lived experience of hypersexuality in bipolar using corpus-assisted discourse analysis (CADA) to qualitatively examine Reddit posts. The use of Reddit as a source of information in this study is particularly valuable because Reddit posts include narratives that may not be captured in traditional clinical settings. The candid, community-driven discussions found on Reddit can help identify gaps in care and raise awareness of the nuanced ways in which hypersexuality manifests and impacts individuals. Analysis of Reddit posts enables researchers to explore patterns, themes, and concerns that may be overlooked or underreported in clinical research, offering a more comprehensive understanding of the symptom of hypersexuality in bipolar. By employing keyword, concordance, and collocation methods, we identified 14 key thematic categories within the corpus and explored 4 of these in greater detail. The analysis showed that Redditors discussed hypersexuality within the context of bipolar symptoms, with many terms related to mood fluctuations and associated emotions. The diverse language used to describe sexual behaviours, along with references to shame and judgement, highlighted significant issues surrounding the discussion of hypersexuality in society and within healthcare settings. To enhance clinical practice, discussions about hypersexuality should be normalised and integrated into routine assessments, and healthcare professionals should receive training to address stigma.
双相情感障碍是一种严重的心理健康状况，影响着全球至少2%的人口。临床观察表明，处于情绪高涨状态（如躁狂或轻躁狂）的个体更有可能从事冒险行为，包括性欲亢进。性欲亢进的特征是对性过度关注，可能导致性侵犯、意外怀孕和关系破裂等严重后果。现有证据表明，目前双相情感障碍患者性欲亢进的干预机会可能被忽视。本研究运用语料库辅助话语分析（CADA）对Reddit上的帖子进行定性研究，以深入了解双相情感障碍患者性欲亢进的生活体验。在本研究中，将Reddit作为信息来源特别有价值，因为Reddit上的帖子包含了传统临床环境中可能未被捕捉到的叙述。在Reddit上发现的坦率的、由社区驱动的讨论有助于识别护理中的差距，并提高对性欲亢进表现和影响个体的细微方式的认识。对Reddit帖子的分析使研究人员能够探索临床研究中可能被忽视或报告不足的模式、主题和问题，从而更全面地了解双相情感障碍患者性欲亢进的症状。通过运用关键词、索引和搭配方法，我们在语料库中确定了14个关键主题类别，并对其中4个进行了更详细的探讨。分析表明，Reddit用户在双相情感障碍症状的背景下讨论性欲亢进，许多术语与情绪波动和相关情绪有关。用于描述性行为的多样语言，以及对羞耻和评判的提及，凸显了社会和医疗环境中围绕性欲亢进讨论的重大问题。为了加强临床实践，关于性欲亢进的讨论应常态化并纳入常规评估，医疗专业人员应接受消除污名化的培训。
