Sex & Masturbation

Sex Addiction:
What You Need to Know

Human sexuality is not only key to the survival of our species, but it’s also a huge source of enjoyment, intimacy, and inspiration for many adults. However, the addictive tendencies in some people can lead to them becoming obsessed with sexual activity, causing problems in their lives and often negatively impacting those around them. If you or someone you know seems unable or unwilling to stop seeking out harmful sexual content despite negative consequences, they may have an addiction that requires professional help.

If they’re constantly on sex, they may have a hypersexual disorder or an addiction to sex. People with this condition will spend hours planning for their next session online or engaging in sex-based activities without caring about work, family time, or socializing.

Sex addiction can result in copious unexpected costs that negatively impact not just the addict but also those close to them. If the person you know is spending an abnormal amount of money on any combination of pornography, prostitutes, online sex forums, strip clubs, or telephone sex lines, it is important to learn more about this condition and how to get help. Sex addiction treatment programs can help those struggling with this disorder to take control of their lives again and rebuild self-esteem, trust, and a sense of worth.

Is Sex
Addictive?

Sex addiction, much like other dependencies such as gambling or eating disorders, is characterized by an individual’s sexual gratification becoming more important than their health, responsibilities, or values. While some adults have a stronger sex drive than others, those with a healthy approach to sexuality are able to keep their needs in perspective and set limits accordingly.

Sex addiction put simply, is an insatiable need to perform sexual acts that parallels a person’s dependence on alcohol or drugs.

For some people, addiction to the internet can have very detrimental consequences and cause many problems in their relationships. Similar to how drug or alcohol abuse can damage somebody’s well-being, sex addiction has the potential to affect a person’s health, both physically and mentally, as well as their personal connections, enjoyment of life, and safety.

Is Sex Addiction a
Behavioral Disorder?

Although sex is often thought of as a place for love and intimacy, addictions to it seldom have an emotional aspect. Addicts turn to sex to relieve anxiety, depression, psychological tension, or issues that arise from unmet needs, not because they want companionship or wish to form relationships. Addressing this addiction requires that we pinpoint its underlying causes so that we can develop coping strategies when trigger events occur and find ways to satisfy crucial psychological wants.

What Causes
Hypersexuality?

According to many researchers, brain chemistry has significant effects on hypersexuality. During a sexual encounter, dopamine can be released. This chemical creates elation, happiness, or contentment feelings that make people want those same good sensations again.

In addiction, the brain reinforces harmful behaviors that activate the same neurotransmitters by means of its reward pathway. When a sex addict experiences dopamine release after a sexual act, it may produce a feeling similar to a euphoric high from drugs. This encourages further risky and destructive behavior in order to obtain this sensation again.

People with sex addiction often suffer from sexual dysfunction, impulse control disorders, and personality disorders. They also commonly abuse substances like drugs or alcohol to escape reality, relieve feelings of guilt or shame, and self-medicate depression. However, because substance abuse decreases inhibitions and judgment capacity, it simultaneously puts the addict in danger of accidentally engaging in risky behaviors.

Sex addiction in adults is often the result of unresolved childhood traumas, such as a history of exposure to physical abuse. In fact, individuals who grew up witnessing parental addictive behaviors are more susceptible to sex addiction. Consequently, effective treatments for sex addiction must address these past emotional pains through therapeutic interventions.

What is Considered
Problematic Sexual Behavior?

People with sex addiction often display some of the following characteristics:

• Difficulty setting appropriate limits or boundaries for sexual impulses
• Spending excessive energy pursuing sex
• Loss of a job, the breakup of a relationship, financial difficulties, or legal problems as a result of sexual behavior
• Prioritizing time spent on sexual fantasies over real-life social interactions or obligations
• Using sexual elements like pornography, prostitution, and cybersex to fulfill their needs without ever having to engage emotionally with others
• The need to take more risks or intensify risky behavior in order to get the same high.
• Experiencing shame, guilt, or self-loathing about one’s sexual behavior on the sex, yet still being unable to stop
• Lying about sexual impulses to cover behaviors
• Engaging in frequent attempts to cease the behavior, yet failing during times of high stress or anxiety

What is Considered
Excessive Masturbation

Although masturbation is a healthy practice in moderation, excessive masturbation may bring with it many negative consequences. In either case, healthy or unhealthy, it is considered a relatively taboo topic often due to the familial, societal, or religious shame associated with masturbation. The stigma has led those struggling with the condition to experience internalized feelings of shame and sin surrounding masturbation.

Note that what is considered “normal masturbation” does vary by person, and daily masturbation does not by itself indicate a problem. Masturbation is considered to be a problem when it starts to mirror other forms of behavioral addictions. Signs of a masturbation problem might include:

• Masturbating consumes your time and energy
• Your experience home, work, or personal life problems because of masturbation
• You masturbate in public or in inappropriate places
• You masturbate even without feelings of arousal
• masturbation becomes your go-to coping mechanism for feelings like depression or anxiety
• You feel guilt, shame, or anger after masturbating

Treatment Options for
Compulsive Sexual Behavior

Most treatments for compulsive sexual behavior include some combination of psychotherapy, medication, and self-help groups. The goal is to help you engage in sex in moderation without sacrificing healthy aspects of your life.

If you can’t help but compulsively look at sex sites, you may need treatment for another mental health condition. People with this type of behavior often also have problems with alcohol or drugs, as well as other issues like anxiety and depression, which require professional care.

People with addiction or mental health problems, which may pose a danger to others, might initially benefit from inpatient treatment. Whether it be inpatient or outpatient, treatment may start off intense but could help prevent relapses later on.

Sex Addiction
Treatment

The same therapeutic approaches that help people with impulse control disorders and OCD can also be used to treat sex addiction. Group therapy can help clients feel less isolated and ashamed by introducing them to others who are working to overcome the same disorder. Other advantages of sex addiction support groups include a sober support network and accountability to others.

Depending on the individual’s needs, level of motivation, and any co-occurring conditions, treatment may take place at either a residential facility or an outpatient recovery center. A benefit of inpatient or residential treatment is the client’s full concentration on recovery due to the supportive environment and lack of triggers and distractions. For clients who cannot leave home for treatment or who start treatment with a high level of autonomy and motivation, outpatient treatment provides a greater level of independence and autonomy.

Sex addiction treatment can be particularly successful if the client’s psychological, emotional, and psychosocial needs are met. Since this disorder involves a great amount of personal shame and emotional pain, members of the treatment team must be attentive to the probability of increased depression or suicidal ideation. The ideal sex addiction treatment program should encompass a diverse set of resources that target different aspects of the disorder, such as therapy for past traumas, substance abuse, and any other accompanying mental disorders.

Masturbation Addiction
Treatment

Comprehensive treatment for masturbation addiction addresses not just the person’s lack of impulse control but also underlying mental health issues. According to the severity and personal preference, different levels of care are available, such as outpatient therapy, intensive outpatient therapy, residential treatment, or support groups.

To increase the likelihood of treatment success, it is important to address all underlying factors of compulsive masturbation. If other mental health concerns are present, those should be addressed too. For some people, a celibacy contract in which one abstains from sexual activity may help them refrain from unwanted behavior entirely.

Psychotherapy for
Sex Addicts

Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, can help you manage your compulsive sexual behavior. These therapies can be accessed as an individual or in a group, family, or couples format.

Types of psychotherapy include:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: CBT will assist you in revealing any unhealthy, negative thoughts and behaviors which can be replaced with healthier alternatives. You’ll learn different strategies to make these behaviors less automatic and instead help you focus on sexual content.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: ACT is a form of CBT that focuses on accepting thoughts and urges and making plans to choose actions that fit important values.
• Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: The goal of Psychodynamic Therapy is to help you understand your unconscious thoughts and behaviors, figure out why you act the way you do and work through any personal issues.

Medications for Sex Addiction
& Co-Occurring Disorders

Apart from psychotherapy, certain medications may also help to control sexual obsessions. This is because they target brain chemicals that are linked to obsessive thoughts and behaviors or reduce the chemical “rewards” associated with these behaviors. The best medication for you will depend on your unique situation and any other mental health conditions you might have. Medications used to treat compulsive sexual behavior are often primarily prescribed for other mental health reasons. Some examples include antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and anti-androgens.

How to Help a Loved One with Sex & Masturbation Addiction

While it is crucial to be supportive, you cannot enable your loved one. Be informed about their disorder and the contributing factors, but do not judge them. This will only make things worse. Most people masturbate at some point in their lives. It is a perfectly normal activity. However, when it becomes a sex addiction, there are usually underlying factors involved that need to be addressed.

Discussing sex addiction with a loved one can evoke various intense emotions, such as pain and embarrassment. Nevertheless, it is essential to address the issue sooner rather than later. Sex and masturbation addiction often thrive in secrecy. By bringing the problem out into the open, we can encourage treatment and healing.

It’s probable that your loved one is encountering other difficulties in life. If you exhibit support and take an active role in their rehabilitation process, it will improve the probability of them recovering. Assisting a loved one demands much more than simply telling them to “quit” and setting boundaries. Being emotionally present for them is key.

Finding Freedom from
Sex & Masturbation Addiction

The social stigma surrounding sex addiction is often what prevents addicted individuals from seeking the professional help they need. However, it is possible to break free from this disorder with treatment.

At Psyclarity Health, we seek to help patients manage their compulsions by teaching them about the root causes of their behaviors. This understanding, along with new skills for handling triggers and improving self-esteem, promotes healthier decision-making and overall wellness.