Treatment for Sexual Addiction

Sex is a normal part of healthy adult relationships and it is something which people enjoy because it provides intimacy, passion and pleasure. However, when a person engages in excessive, inappropriate or addictive sexual behaviors, it may become an issue. Sexual addiction can lead to adversely affecting a person's well-being, those you love, as well as other relationships. If this sounds like your situation, then consulting with addiction treatment professionals may provide more insight into your situation.

What is sexual addiction?

Sexual addiction is a progressive intimacy disorder which leads someone to seek sex compulsively and act out in unsafe, dangerous or risky ways. Just like with any type of addiction, this problem will negatively impact the person's life and over time, the individual will engage in more intense actions to achieve the desired affects. For some sex addicts, this behavior does not graduate beyond compulsive masturbation, viewing pornography or seeking out phone or computer sex. However, for other sex addicts, behaviors can involve illegal acts such as voyeurism, exhibitionism, obscene phone calls, child molestation or rape. However, it is worth noting that not all sex addicts will necessarily develop into a sex offender and not all sex offenders are considered sex addicts, there is a fine line between the behavior and before something illegal or immoral happens, a person is highly urged to seek sex addiction treatment.

What causes sexual addiction?

Why some people become addicted to something and others doe not, is not clear to researchers and medical science. Studies indicate that drugs, food and sexual interests have a common link through the brains reward centers and it leads to the area which is responsible for rational thinking, thoughts and judgment. The brain of a sex addict tells the person it feels good to engage in certain sexual activities and the individual will seek out to engage in this behavior, because it produces endorphins and euphoria, similar to opiate drug abuse. The brain of a sex addict will fool the body by producing a feel of reward and this is what makes the person engage in self-destructive behaviors which can become uncontrollable.

What are the symptoms of sexual addiction?

While there is no medical diagnosis for sex addiction, there are certain signs and symptoms which define the criteria of addiction, based upon what is known about drug and alcohol addiction. The symptoms and signs of sex addiction can include a person engaging in sex with more partners than intended, spending a lot of time engaging in activities related to sex, being preoccupied or obsessed with sex and being unable to focus on anything else, feeling irritable when not able to engage in the desired behavior, continually engaging in sexual behaviors despite the negative consequences happening, and thinking about sex to the detriment of other activities and feeling of deep shame and guilt because of not being able to stop. If you have any of these signs, you may be harboring a problem and should seek help from an addiction treatment program for sex addiction.

What should you do if you feel you have a sexual addiction problem?

When you have the feeling your sexual behaviors are unhealthy or borderline the symptoms as addictive, it is time to do something about it, but your mind may be telling you to keep quiet because of shame and guilt. Addiction tricks the human brain into survival mode and you feel rewarded for doing something which leaves you feeling embarrassed and very isolated. However, if you want to get help for a sex addiction problem, there are addiction treatment programs which exist. These facilities understand what you are going through and have the capabilities to help you get through this situation in a healthy way.

Should you enroll into an addiction treatment program for sexual addiction?

If you feel remorse, maybe have suicidal thoughts and are experiencing severe problems related to your sexual behavior, you are not alone and other people have gone through the same thing too. If you have told yourself to stop engaging in risky and even illegal sexual habits and cannot help yourself, it is time to reach out to an addiction treatment program for sexual addiction. There you will find the support and guidance you need to break free and live a normal, functioning life again and will have th ability to control yourself and can finally be free from your addiction.