When people hear the words, “Sex Addiction”, they often picture someone who likes a lot of sex (a “nympho” or a “womanizer”) which doesn’t really describe the problem.
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Sex addiction is not how often you have sex… it’s about why you have sex.
- Sex Addiction, also known as compulsive sexual behavior or hypersexual disorder, affects approximately 3-6% of the country and occurs more often in men than women. However, women may under report symptoms and may present with behaviors that focus more on love and attachment.
The driving force behind sex addiction is an individual’s inability to regulate their own negative feeling states so that they end up acting out sexually to distract/cope/escape from their inner difficulties. The end result is problems with interpersonal relationships, difficulties with intimacy and an inability to tolerate closeness.
- Sex Addicts may present with different primary symptoms including:
- Impulsivity (these people may also abuse pills/drugs/alcohol or may have other addictions)
- Obsessional Thinking – (these people may have difficulties with fantasies and obsessing over things)
- Trauma (these people have traumatic histories that are unresolved and play out in their adult lives)
- Co-Morbidity (research has shown the presentation of other disorders is common with sex addiction including: ADHD, Depression, Anxiety Disorders, Bipolar Disorders, Eating Disorders, etc.. An individual may have one or more of these primary symptoms or all of these symptoms. The treatment of sex addiction is multi-dimensional and may incorporate individual therapy, group therapy, 12 step work, cognitive behavioral therapy, spiritual therapy, medication management and a medical and psychological assessment.
- Sex Addiction can cause you to lose your job, lose your marriage or lose your freedom. It’s a very difficult disease to treat because the concept of sex is all around us. The best treatment regimen is a specialized team of experts that assist the individual in changing their lifestyle, developing coping skills and improving self control.
- From developing a timeline, to a circle plan, to disclosures to medications, each person has their own customized evidence based treatment plan.
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Other Programs Include:
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