Sex addiction is characterized by an uncontrollable urge to engage in sexual activity. It is generally devoid of the pleasure that is normally associated with sex. Sex addiction can take many forms, from compulsive masturbation while viewing pornography, to engaging in sex with multiple different partners, or participating in some sexual activity that borders on fetishism. Sex addiction fills a spectrum from actions that can be perceived as harmless through other actions, such as pedophilia, that are illegal and harmful to other people. The process and techniques for stopping sex addiction apply across this entire spectrum.

A person who is concerned over his sexual activity can determine if he is a sex addict with some honest self-diagnosis. A personal history is usually a good start as it narrows down the time frame during which certain sexual activities began, and potentially identifies the catalysts for those activities. It also gives insights into the feelings that a person might experience while pursuing those activities and what, if anything, he gets out of those feelings. A personal history can also show a sex addict the triggers that lead to certain activities. Those triggers might include boredom, anger, disappointment, or loneliness, all of which can be addressed with healthier alternatives than the activities that push a person deeper into his addictions. Finally, that history can provide a picture of what it would be like for that person to stop his participation in those activities and whether he would feel better if he does not pursue them.

Sex addiction is rarely a black-and-white diagnosis. That diagnosis is also not a function of the frequency or nature of any particular sexual activities. Rather, it is a determination that a person has developed an unhealthy reliance on certain sexual conduct in response to one or more underlying issues. That conduct is typically devoid of pleasure and is merely a reaction to certain situations.

Sex addiction will affect mental health and physical health overtime. Compulsive sexual behaviors can interfere with your ability to live a quality life and have healthy relationships. You are capable and worthy of more. Call Cottonwood Tucson today for information on our critically acclaimed residential treatment programs for co-occurring disorders: CALL (888) 727-0441