Sexual addiction happens when a normal sex drive become obsessive or habitual, to the point of significant distress in the life of the addict and/or those around them.
A sexual addiction is formed through the seeking of the ‘high’ that comes from chemicals released into the brain during sex, rather than from an external source like in the case of substance abuse.
Sexual addiction can take on many forms, the most common including:
- The obsessive use of pornography
- Chronic masturbation
- Repeated sexual affairs
- Frequently visiting prostitutes and other sex workers
- Voyeurism
These various forms of sexual addiction have two things in common; the behaviour is done in secret, and the sex addict becomes skilled in hiding this secret life from those they are closest to.
Sexual addiction is more common than people m ay think. The access to material and anonymity of the internet has seen an explosion of people struggling to come to terms with this particular manifestation of addiction and it is becoming more common to seek sex addiction therapy to help cope.
By honestly answering the following questions, you should be able to get an idea as to whether you need to seek assistance for dealing with your sexual activities.
- Do you frequent online porn sites, or live strip clubs?
- Do you find yourself drawn to pornography sites any time you get online, even if you didn’t intend to go there?
- Do you feel a need to look at pornography in order to have sexual relations with your wife?
- Have you had more than one affair outside of your relationship?
- Do you often masturbate two or more times a day?
- Are you a regular customer of prostitutes or other sex workers?
- Do you engage in sexual behavior for which you could get arrested?
- Do you have a part of your sex life that you keep a secret from everyone close to you?
- Have you tried to stop any of the above behaviors and found that you can’t stop for any significant length of time?
If you answered YES to two or more of the above questions, you should seek professional assistance to determine the nature and extent of your sexual activity. At Counselling & Therapy Associates, we have a range of treatments for substance abuse. To book a session, simply Click Here