They need a supportive, stable person in their lives. If the child is abused, he or she is missing a key part of their development. They continue to grow up believing that they are alone. Not only is this feeling brought on by abuse but if a parent dies or the child is torn between a divorce, the adult can still feel abandoned. Sex fills that void, the individual feels that he or she is wanted and is being taken care of for the duration of the act. Afterwards, they find themselves alone and are once again on the prowl for another conquest.

But sexual addiction doesn't arise only from sexual abuse or from inadequate parental love. Nymphomania -- or "Don Juanism -- can result from a condensation of the striving for sexual satisfaction coupled with the need to reassure one's self-esteem (Kornblu, 1997, pp. 344-369). These constant sexual escapades...
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