Andromania is an obsession or persistent sexual interest in men. The term is a combination of the Ancient Greek words andro, meaning man or male, and mania, meaning madness or frenzy.
Andromania is used to refer to an obsession that heterosexual women have with men. It is sometimes called nymphomania or used interchangeably with the gender-neutral term, hypersexuality.
A woman with andromania, known as an andromaniac, will be more likely to seek out sexual partners and engage in sexual behaviors earlier in relationships. Andromaniacs may also be more likely to develop addictions to cybersex, pornography, and masturbation.
As with other forms of hypersexuality, andromania is typically recognized as a mental health condition. It may be a primary condition, the result of another condition such as bipolar disorder, or a side effect of hormone or drug therapy. There is some disagreement among the medical community about whether andromania is an addiction or a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder. There are also some academics who believe andromania isn’t a mental health condition at all, but simply a type of sexual interest with resulting behaviors that falls outside the cultural and social norms.
Academics and medical practitioners are unsure what triggers andromania. Some suggest it may be caused by brain injuries or changes to the brain, such as those accompanying dementia, while others feel the condition may have biological or psychological roots.
Andromania may negatively impact a woman’s life, interfering with her professional life and ability to form meaningful, long-lasting relationships. Therapy, including group therapy and 12-step programs, as well as medications may help andromaniacs manage their condition.
