Sexual Addictions

People who have a sexual addiction typically have an unusual fascination with or fixation on sex. So much so, that it takes control over the individuals thinking, making it challenging to live a well-balanced, healthy lifestyle. Behaviors can include engaging in behaviors like cybersex, pornography or phone sex and can engage in risky sexual practices.

Symptoms of a sexual addiction may include:

• Sexual impulses that are intense and feel as if they’re beyond one’s control
• Difficulty with consistently enforcing sexual behavior
• Use of compulsive sexual behavior as an escape from other problems, such as loneliness, depression, anxiety or stress
• Engaging in sexual behaviors that have serious consequences, such as the potential for getting or giving someone else a sexually transmitted infection, the loss of important relationships, trouble at work, or legal problems
• Trouble establishing and maintaining emotional closeness, even if one is married or in a committed relationship

Information from the Mayo Clinic

National Sexual Addiction Resource:

Sex Addicts Anonymous
Resources and 12-step based recovery groups for those struggling with addictive sexual behavior.