This has been on mind. One of my personal reasons for pursuing polymory is a high sex drive, and I acknowledge that for me, sex ranks high importance in life. My husband doesn't get it. For him, sex is something he gets out of his system once every couple of weeks and then he can get on with his life.
For me, sex IS life. I love everything about that kind of intimate connection with the right person, and I love having sex for hours I'd have it daily and with more than one person if I could find the right partners.
I recently came out as bi and poly to my favorite aunt. She was married to a man for the beginning of her adult life, then after he died, she married a woman, so at least she'd get the "bi" thing. To my surprise, she told me she thought I might be a sex addict!
Now, I don't display any signs of sexual addiction, I don't put myself in danger to get sex, I get to know a person at least a little before I get sexual, and I don't have particularly dangerous sex. I haven't even had sex in a couple of months! I'm quite picky about my partners, and I sometimes turn down offers. But to many people, my desire for lots of sex and the importance I place on it in the context of a relationship seems excessive.
I asked my aunt if she ever missed having sex with men, and she replied, "You know, I'm so busy doing the cooking and cleaning and driving my daughter to practice, I don't have time to miss men." To me, this was the wrong answer. I have no desire to do housework or parent children. I want to have time, energy, and desire to engage in lots of sex. Is that so wrong?
I once encountered a similar response from a shrink, who told me to take up a hobby. In other words, fill my life with busyness so I don't notice my sex with my husband is unsatisfying. I suppose this is how many a monogamous marriage stays afloat.