Sex addiction can lead to strained or broken relationships due to the secrecy and dishonesty associated with it. It can also lead to a decreased interest in or avoidance of intimate relationships, as well as cheating and infidelity.
People with sex addiction may have difficulty forming or maintaining meaningful relationships. They may also struggle to find or keep a job due to their preoccupation with sexual activities.
People with sex addiction are more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues due to the secrecy and guilt associated with their behavior. On the other hand, compulsive sex may be a way for a person to numb emotional pain, or “zone out,” to cope with feelings of frustration, anger, loneliness, anxiety and depression. Dual diagnosis (addiction and other mental health conditions) is fairly common. For this reason, it is crucial that addiction, and co-occuring mental health issues are treated concurrently to maintain abstinence, and allow healing to take place.
Sex addiction can lead to an increased risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases and other illnesses due to unsafe sexual practices. It can also lead to an increased risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, and other health problems due to the stress associated with the behavior. Cross addiction with substances like alcohol, and narcotics is incredibly common, to numb or dull the shame and pain that at once comes after the sex addict acts out.
Acting out sexually, can take a toll on the addicts finances, without question. The costs of lost jobs, missed career advancement opportunities, time and money spent on pornography, prostitutes, and other forms of acting out, can take quite a financial toll. The cost of divorce attorney’s, medical bills, and forgone opportunities to bond with friends and family are just some of the
Intense focus on sexual thoughts, fantasies, and behaviors that become increasingly extreme.
Involvement in increasingly dangerous or illegal sexual behaviors.
Loss of control over sexual behaviors.
Feelings of shame, guilt, and depression related to the addiction.
Acknowledging the addiction, making changes to prevent relapse, and finding healthier ways to cope.
https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/522086137Why are partners of sex addicts treated as trauma victims?Charlene: The reason they’re treated as trauma victims is because they have undergone an extreme amount of stress in their relationships, usually by the time that they come and seek help. There’s a lot of lying. There’s a lot of deceit that goes on, a lot
https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/404876992 How do secrecy and shame play into sex addiction as opposed to other addictions? Charlene: Well I think sex has been such a taboo subject and we’ve been taught that sex is a very private matter and I think a lot of times people confuse privacy with secrecy. It’s something that is very isolating.
How does sex addiction prevent people from having intimacy in meaningful relationships? I think any addiction prevents intimacy because addiction is all about separating me from you, but with sex addiction, because it’s such an isolating addiction or it can be, basically what it does is it creates this wall between me and the rest
https://littlefishaudio.wistia.com/medias/nklwilyzis?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640 Okay. Can you explain the shame cycle that is especially pertinent in sex addiction? Charlene: I think the cycle that comes up in sex addiction usually starts off with a feeling at first so I always try to get my patients to get in touch with whatever it is that they’re feeling. A lot
https://littlefishaudio.wistia.com/medias/vkqki9bdy5?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640 Okay. Charlene, do you find sex addicts empathetic to their partners? Charlene: I think it depends on where they are on the progression of their addiction. I get both parts. I get sex addicts who come in to me because they got caught, and that’s really the only reason they’re coming through my door,
The following PowerPoint Presentation was sourced from Iitap’s website and was created by sex addiction pioneer Patrick Carnes. It juxtaposes sex addiction in the female population, and how it presents, against what was once believed to be a male only addiction. A greater proportion of sex addicts are female, then are alcoholics.