The male equivalent of nymphomania is called “satyriasis,” and a man suffering from this condition is sometimes called a “satyromaniac” or is said to be suffering from “satyrmania,” though neither of these are formal medical terms.
Though the terms “nymphomania” and “satyriasis” are gender-specific, they indicate the same condition. They are both basically synonyms for hypersexuality, though both are somewhat archaic and are generally not used by the medical community anymore. Those who suffer from this condition will experience sexual thoughts and urges that are more intense or more frequent than what is considered to be normal.
There is some debate over whether this is actually a medical condition, however, or simply the upper extreme of what is a normal range for human sexuality. For those that believe the latter, these terms are regarded as a pejorative label and a means of stigmatizing people who do not conform to current prevailing social norms. This type of behavior can also be a symptom of another condition, such as Pick’s disease or certain types of brain injury.
The term “satyriasis” originates from Greek mythology. The satyr was a sort of horse-man who accompanied Dionysus, the god of wine and theater. The poet and playwright Euripides wrote a play about satyrs called “Cyclops,” from which most of their features and myths about them are drawn. The satyrs spent their lives chasing women and drinking wine to the exclusion of all else. They were particularly obsessed with the maenads, or the female followers of Dionysus who would perform sacred rituals in which they got drunk and worked themselves into an orgiastic frenzy.
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