Sexual Addiction
  Malo Alvarez, Internet Writer - November 8th, 2007    Views: 446    Rated: 

In the movie Blades Of Glory, the character Chazz Michael Michaels, played by actor Will Ferrel, was a self-confessed sex addict. For those who do not believe in the possibility of people being addicted to sex, Will Ferrel's character would surely be just fictional. However, one episode of The Tyra Banks Show also discussed sexual addiction and even had guests who openly admitted to being sex-addicts. What was more surprising is the fact that one of their guests is only 14 years old and she confessed to being a sex addict since she was 12. Though hard to believe, it is actually true that some people get addicted to sex. How or why this happens will be discussed later on in this article.

A person, especially those who engage in frequent sex, might wonder how he or she can determine if his or her behavior is already considered an addiction or not. Characteristics that differentiate sex addicts from those who are just sexually active are also included in this article. Sexual addiction is considered a mental health problem and is very similar to other forms of addiction such as those with alcoholics and drug addicts. Like most health problems too, sexual addiction can be managed or treatment using a method very similar to that used among alcoholics.

Addiction is usually said to be associated, if not a

Am I Addicted?


LOSS OF CONTROL: recurrent failure (pattern) to resist impulses to engage in specific sexual behavior.

COMPULSIVE BEHAVIOR: a pattern of out of control behavior over time, a pattern of loss of control. 

EFFORTS TO STOP: repeated, specific efforts to stop the behavior, which fail.  Repeated violation of their own
value system, yet unable to stop.

LOSS OF TIME: Significant amounts of time spent in obtaining sex, being sexual, or recovering from sexual
experience.

PREOCCUPATION: obsessing about the behavior or preparatory activities.  Preoccupation becomes a means of
escape.

INABILITY TO FULLFILL OBLIGATIONS: the behavior interferes with work, school, family and friends.

CONTINUENCE: the failure to stop the behavior even though you are having problems because of it – these may
be social, legal, financial, work. 

ESCALATION: the need to make the behavior more intense, more frequent and, often, more risky.

LOSSES: losing, limiting or sacrificing valued parts of life, such as relationships, work and family.

WITHDRAWAL: stopping behavior causes considerable distress, anxiety, restlessness, irritability and physical
discomfort.  Often involves a high degree of restlessness, an inability to sleep, being very easily triggered into anger
and a high degree of reactivity.

(Carnes, "Facing the Shadow" 2006)

result of, stress and anxiety disorders. A tragic or traumatic event may cause a person to feel self-hatred, extreme anger, loneliness, and depression. In search for an event or situation to change these negative feelings, they seek for things that would can give them pleasure. Substances such as alcohol, amphetamines, and cocaine have a component within them that causes a person to release more dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is the primary neurotransmitter responsible for the good or pleasurable feelings that most people experience. Engaging in some activities such as sex and having an orgasm trigger the same reaction within the brain. Because of the satisfaction, relief or escape that these substances and activities provide to a person who is already psychologically troubled, he or she will seek to experience the euphoria some more. As a result, an addiction develops as well as feelings of obsession and compulsion.

Engaging in sexual or romantic activities is considered natural among humans. The moderation or frequency among each individual, however, varies. Some people do these activities more frequently compared to others but that does not necessarily make them sex addicts.

Some of the characteristics that should be observed in a person to consider him or her as a possible sexual addict are listed below:

He or she must have a pattern of failing in resisting his or her impulse to engage in specific sexual behaviors;

He or she must frequently engage in those sexual behaviors to a greater extent or longer period than what he or she is intended;

He or she might experience a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to stop, reduce, or control those sexual behaviors;

He or she spends an inappropriately large amount of time or resources spent in obtaining sex, being sexual, or recovering from sexual experience;

He or she has a certain preoccupation with certain sexual behaviors or preparatory activities;

He or she still frequently engages in sexual behaviors even when expected to fulfill occupational, academic, domestic, or social obligations;

He or she still continues to do the sexual behaviors or activities despite knowing that he or she will have a persistent or recurring social, financial, psychological, or physical problem that is caused or made worse by the behavior; and

He or she feels distressed, anxious, restless, or irritated if he or she is unable to engage in sexual behaviors or activities.

There are also different levels of sexual addiction. Level one is being engaged in compulsive sexual activities or thoughts only. Level two already includes acts of voyeurism, exhibitionism, and rubbing against people in public places. Level three is when a person already commits much more serious and intrusive sexual offenses that have more harmful consequences.

Sexual addiction, like most other addictions, have several negative consequences. Someone who engages in sexual activities frequently with other people has a greater tendency to acquire infections such as AIDS for example. A female sex addict also has a higher chance of getting pregnant. Sex addicts usually have financial problems because of their uncontrolled expenditure to satisfy their addiction.

They will also have social problems such as difficulty relating to their family and their friends primarily because they already have a sense of shame being aware of their problem and the inability to control it.

Professional help is very much needed in order for a person to recover from this kind of addiction. Therapy sessions with professionals may either be done individually or in a group. Several organizations such as Sex Addicts Anonymous and Sexaholics Anonymous already provide programs and support groups to help a person who has an addiction to change and get better in avoiding the compulsion. Some medications can also be used to treat not necessarily a person's sexual addiction but his or her co-occurring psychological problems.

Sexual Addiction Recovery

Sexual addiction is described as a progressive intimacy disorder characterized by compulsive sexual thoughts and acts. Like all other addictions, its negative impact on the addict and on family members increases as the disorder progresses. Over time, the addict has to intensify the addictive behavior to achieve the same results.

For some sex addicts, behavior does not progress beyond compulsive masturbation or the widespread use of pornography or phone or computer sex services. For others, addiction can involve illegal activities such as voyeurism, exhibitionism, obscene phone calls, child molestation or rape. Sex addicts do not inevitably become

Are you a sex addict? Find out!
sex offenders. Furthermore, not all sex offenders are sex addicts. According to psychcentral.com roughly 55% of convicted sex offenders can be considered sex addicts. About 71% of child molesters are sex addicts. For many, their problems are so severe that imprisonment is only the way to ensure society’s safety against them.

Society has accepted that a sex offender’s actions stems not from sexual fulfillment, but rather out of a disturbed need for power, dominance, control or revenge, or a perverted expression of anger. More recently, however, an awareness of brain changes and brain reward related with sexual behavior has led us to understand that there are also powerful sexual drives that motivate sex offenses.

Overcoming Sexual Addiction

The consequences of sexual addiction may be devastating to not only the addict but also those close to him/her. It can leave an addict isolated, immensely anxious and depressed to the point of being suicidal. Low self-esteem, hopelessness, shame, and despair are also common feelings experienced by sex addicts. The ramifications of sex addiction do not end on an emotional level but rather, continue onto medical, financial and legal ones too.

Medical consequences of sex addiction may include HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as syphilis, genital herpes and gonorrhea. In addition, genital injury may result from unnecessary sexual activity or the use of foreign objects for sexual stimulation.

Financial consequences of sex addiction may include the loss of one's job, getting sued over sexual harassment or sexual abuse charges resulting in legal fees. Purchasing

Are you a sex addict? Find out!
pornographic material, use of prostitutes, calling 900 phone numbers and traveling for the individual purpose of sexual contacts can create enormous debt in credit card bills and exhaust the financial resources of an addict often many times to the point of bankruptcy.

Legal consequences of sexual addiction include the arrest and incarceration of sex addict. The addict's out of control lifestyle make him to engage in high risk, illegal activities such as voyeurism, exhibitionism, inappropriate touching and the solicitation of prostitutes.

A basic approach in recognizing any addictive behavior is to assess whether it is creating irresistible trouble in your life and yet you choose to return to it despite the problem.

If your sexual behavior is exhausting your time and energy and it causes you to compromise your core values and the beliefs that you hold dear to your heart then there is cause for alarm.

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