Sex Addiction 101
What is Sex Addiction?
Written or medically reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Policy.
Updated April 21, 2014.
Sex addiction is a repetitive pattern of sexual activity, that is used to experience pleasure and cope with or avoid negative feelings, such as anxiety, depression and hopelessness. Like many other behavioral addictions, sex addiction is on a continuum with normal and healthy behavior.
Read What is Sex Addiction?
What is Love Addiction?
Written or medically reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Policy.
Updated April 21, 2014.
Love addiction can appear similar to sex addiction and may involve many of the same activities, but it is the experience of falling or being in love that is sought, rather than sexual arousal or gratification. Men and women are equally likely to develop love addiction, and some people are addicted to both sex and love. People who are prone to love addiction are unrealistic about love and relationships, caught in the whirlwind of thinking this is "the one," frequently with someone they hardly know.
The romantic fantasies that form the basis of love addiction are unattainable, and can lead to crushing disappointment for both partners when the fantasy inevitably comes to an end. Yet they fail to learn from experience, each time believing the new object of their affections is destined to be their true love. While popular culture encourages these delusional beliefs about love, most people realize that real relationships are less than perfect, while those who are addicted to love do not let go of the fantasy of the perfect romance.
Read What is Love Addiction?
Types of Compulsive Sex
Written or medically reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Policy.
Updated April 21, 2014.
There are many types of compulsive sex, which vary greatly in the potential harm they can cause to the individual and their partner or partners. A single person masturbating alone can seem harmless enough, but when that person is robbed on the potential to connect with another person sexually, because they are spending all of their time engaged in lone sexual activity, they may miss the opportunity for a truly fulfilling sexual relationship, as well as having a family of their own.
They may become cynical and fail to appreciate or respect the loving relationships of others, ultimately becoming more and more isolated.
Other types of compulsive sex can involve others in ways that devalue the human connection in healthy sex, instead turning the other person into a commodity for sexual gratification. Again, this can lead to a cynical attitude towards healthy sex, love and relationships.
Read Ten Types of Sex Addiction
Written or medically reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Policy.
Updated April 21, 2014.
Cybersex is a type of internet addiction involving various types of online sexual material. Cybersex can range from sexting, to accessing online porn, to sexually oriented internet chat rooms, through to online affairs and online sex services.
Research has shown that there are several different types of cybersex user, and while not all of them are addicted or harmful, some are.
Read Online Sex Addiction
Written or medically reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Policy.
Updated April 21, 2014.
The kind of help that is appropriate for someone with sex or love addiction depends on the nature of their sexual behavior and who else was involved.
Married people, or those in relationships, often want to heal their relationship after an episode of sex addiction, such as an affair or a period of compulsive masturbation with pornography. These people often benefit from couples counseling.
Those who engage in compulsive sexual behavior alone, or involving others without their awareness that they were being used for sexual gratification, typically benefit from the support of a trained sex therapist.
Those who have victimized or sexually assaulted others typically need help from a forensic psychologist, or a therapist with expertise in treating sexual predators. This is highly specialized work, and is important for the protection of society as well as the rehabilitation of the individual.
If you have had fantasies involving the sexual exploitation of others, talk to your doctor about getting help. It could prevent you or someone else from having to live with serious consequences. There is increasing recognition of the need to provide help before people act on such feelings.
Written or medically reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Policy.
Updated April 21, 2014.
Sex addiction is a repetitive pattern of sexual activity, that is used to experience pleasure and cope with or avoid negative feelings, such as anxiety, depression and hopelessness. Like many other behavioral addictions, sex addiction is on a continuum with normal and healthy behavior.
Read What is Sex Addiction?
What is Love Addiction?
Written or medically reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Policy.
Updated April 21, 2014.
Love addiction can appear similar to sex addiction and may involve many of the same activities, but it is the experience of falling or being in love that is sought, rather than sexual arousal or gratification. Men and women are equally likely to develop love addiction, and some people are addicted to both sex and love. People who are prone to love addiction are unrealistic about love and relationships, caught in the whirlwind of thinking this is "the one," frequently with someone they hardly know.
The romantic fantasies that form the basis of love addiction are unattainable, and can lead to crushing disappointment for both partners when the fantasy inevitably comes to an end. Yet they fail to learn from experience, each time believing the new object of their affections is destined to be their true love. While popular culture encourages these delusional beliefs about love, most people realize that real relationships are less than perfect, while those who are addicted to love do not let go of the fantasy of the perfect romance.
Read What is Love Addiction?
Types of Compulsive Sex
Written or medically reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Policy.
Updated April 21, 2014.
There are many types of compulsive sex, which vary greatly in the potential harm they can cause to the individual and their partner or partners. A single person masturbating alone can seem harmless enough, but when that person is robbed on the potential to connect with another person sexually, because they are spending all of their time engaged in lone sexual activity, they may miss the opportunity for a truly fulfilling sexual relationship, as well as having a family of their own.
They may become cynical and fail to appreciate or respect the loving relationships of others, ultimately becoming more and more isolated.
Other types of compulsive sex can involve others in ways that devalue the human connection in healthy sex, instead turning the other person into a commodity for sexual gratification. Again, this can lead to a cynical attitude towards healthy sex, love and relationships.
Read Ten Types of Sex Addiction
Written or medically reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Policy.
Updated April 21, 2014.
Cybersex is a type of internet addiction involving various types of online sexual material. Cybersex can range from sexting, to accessing online porn, to sexually oriented internet chat rooms, through to online affairs and online sex services.
Research has shown that there are several different types of cybersex user, and while not all of them are addicted or harmful, some are.
Read Online Sex Addiction
Written or medically reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com's Medical Review Policy.
Updated April 21, 2014.
The kind of help that is appropriate for someone with sex or love addiction depends on the nature of their sexual behavior and who else was involved.
Married people, or those in relationships, often want to heal their relationship after an episode of sex addiction, such as an affair or a period of compulsive masturbation with pornography. These people often benefit from couples counseling.
Those who engage in compulsive sexual behavior alone, or involving others without their awareness that they were being used for sexual gratification, typically benefit from the support of a trained sex therapist.
Those who have victimized or sexually assaulted others typically need help from a forensic psychologist, or a therapist with expertise in treating sexual predators. This is highly specialized work, and is important for the protection of society as well as the rehabilitation of the individual.
If you have had fantasies involving the sexual exploitation of others, talk to your doctor about getting help. It could prevent you or someone else from having to live with serious consequences. There is increasing recognition of the need to provide help before people act on such feelings.
Source...