What Is Sex Addiction?
Sexual addiction is defined as an unhealthy/pathological relationship with a mood altering behavior. It is a maladaptive repression mechanism which has the purpose of repressing suffering, both current and past. Underlying sex addiction are attachment injuries and an intimacy disorder. Sexual addiction has many of the characteristics of other addictions, such as alcoholism or drugs, such as:
- The behavior progressively gets worse over time.
- There have been unsuccessful attempts to stop the behavior.
- The addict needs more and more of the behavior to feel the same way.
- There have been significant negative consequences for the behavior.
Sex addiction, like all other addictions is a brain disease. This means the chemistry of the brain has been altered over time as a result of repeating the behavior. The concept of a "hijacked brain" is helpful - the addicted person sets out to do behavior A, but finds himself doing behavior B. If behavior B is done compulsively, than it is considered an addiction. Most of the behavior is done outside of conscious awareness.
This hijacking creates a paradox for those affected by the behavior. Although unconscious, the addict is still responsible for their behavior and the harm and pain they have caused in their lives. Sex addiction is not an excuse for bad behavior. It is a clinical label to define a compulsive, intractable, brain disease.
Sex addiction has a number of different names - sexual dependency, sexual compulsion, porn addiction. No one behavior defines sex addiction. Compulsive masturbation, compulsive viewing of pornography, voyeurism, frequenting adult book stores, compulsive sexual fantasy, multiple partners, exploitation of children, are all potential sexual acting out behaviors. The sexual dependency inventory is a powerful way to gain understanding of the disease.
Sexual addiction begins in early childhood, and large percentages of sex addicts have, in their backgrounds, emotional abuse, physical abuse, or both. Generally, sex addicts grew up in rigid family environments, or emotionally disengaged family environments, or both.
Treating sex addiction requires having a trained professional who is certified to treat sex addiction and who has experience with this population. The average length of treatment is 3 years with 5 years being common. The sex addict should attend weekly therapy sessions, seek management of the coexisting issues of depression and anxiety, attend a 12 step program, and be part of a therapist-led sex addiction group.
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Chris Lorenc MS, LPC, NCC, CSAT Candidate
Board Certified Professional Counselor |
