You may have been wondering if your desire for porn or your frequent masturbation is already progressing to sex addiction. Or maybe you had a recent sexual experience that you feel may have crossed your boundaries and compromised safety. This post might help you address some of your concerns about your unusual sexual behaviors.
What is Sex Addiction?
Sex addiction or compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) is a very controversial issue in society. It is described as a compulsive engagement in sex and is a very challenging form of behavioral dependency. Sex addicts will go to any extent to satisfy sexual fantasies regardless of the consequences it may bring.
Sexual urges are a healthy part of life. But with sex addicts, these urges become overwhelmingly destructive. Men who have a persistent pattern of failing to control their sexual impulses are likely to be sex addicts.
Sexual behavior often causes problems because the negative consequences are evident, but you seem powerless to manage it. It can be a destructive force that may even lead to depressions as it may leave them feeling misunderstood.
Here’s a list of some addiction signs you may want to look out for:
Constant Engagement in Sexual Materials
Looking at nude photos of women in magazines or watching porn day after day is not normal behavior. The internet has been a consequential media for sexual addiction. If you spend hours online looking at porn sites for 4 hours a day, then you might have a compulsive sexual behavior.
Preoccupation with these internet porn sites results in engagement in interactive cybersex activities that feed on the addiction to sex.
Craving Sexual Adventures
There is a big difference between sexual addiction and having a high sex drive. Your actions may not be motivated by pleasure but more of the compulsive behavior.
Having sex in public or illegal places are what may often excite sex addicts. These activities are deemed very offensive and may cost one’s reputation. Some examples of these inappropriate sexual activities are:
Exhibitionism
Sex or masturbation in public
Sex propositions
Sex Dominates Your Day
Sex addiction is a vicious cycle of engaging in sexual activities that continue for six months or more. These activities result in the impairment of other areas in life as work, family, and self-care. Personal and professional relationships are often compromised as the person becomes preoccupied in repetitive sexual activities such as:
Extra-marital affairs
Compulsive masturbation
Sex with prostitutes
Pornography
Cybersex
Relying on sex to release stress
Getting rejected by your partner may upset you but relying on sex to fix your mood is a different issue. Also, needing an increased amount of sex to feed your desire is a significant marker. With sex addicts, it may seem that sex is the fix to anything wrong. This kind of thinking is what makes them ask for sex at inappropriate times of the day.
Prefer Not to Have Safe Sex
Sex addicts will immediately act on their sexual impulses. They may make the wrong choices of having unprotected sex that could lead to the critical consequences of sexually transmitted diseases.
What Causes Sex Addiction?
The causes of sexual behavioral problems are not clearly understood and may develop due to several factors. These causes may be one or a combination of the following:
Biological
Biological-related causes, normal brain functions, and brain chemistry make them vulnerable to addiction.
Psychological
Psychological researches help people understand the reasons for the repetition of harmful activities that include:
Reduction of stress
Pleasurable sensations
Relief from boredom, sadness, or negative situations
Socio-Cultural
This factor relates to the connection between social and cultural influences that contribute to sexual addictions such as beliefs, values, and even childhood abuse.
Spiritual
Spirituality is a causal factor to determine the lack of meaning and purpose to life that possibly disconnects a sex addict to spiritual life.
There is no single cause for sex addiction, as each of these factors may contribute to the development of these behavioral problems.
Mental Distress from Sex Addiction
Sexual addiction will often lead to feelings of guilt and anxiety. But even after this guilt, you may still be compelled to do the sexual acts over and over again. This cycle is one of the apparent manifestations of sexual addictions. Psychological disorders that may arise from sexually compulsive behaviors include:
Depression
Anxiety
Alcohol abuse
Drug abuse
Anger control
Getting Help from Experts
Sex addictions can bring a strain most to relationships because of the stress of infidelity. If you want to save your relationship, your family, and regain control over your life, treatment is necessary.
Sexual addiction is a very delicate topic that you may not want to discuss everything with your doctor. But if you are unable to control inappropriate sexual behavior, it is necessary to have an honest talk with your doctor. Discussing with them the extent of your sexual activities will help them find the right treatment program for you.
There are no formal diagnostic criteria for sex addiction that mental health doctors agree upon as behavioral problems are complex. There will be a unique set of challenges in undergoing treatment. Thus, a sex addict must work hand in hand with their doctor.
Medical experts are definite that sex addiction can be treated just like any other form of addiction. Remember that you are not alone. There are also several groups and organizations that you may reach for support in your journey to recovery.
