Sex Addiction Symptoms

Often overlooked as a serious mental health issue, sexual addiction has the potential to devastate a person’s life in ways that can be long-term and irreparable. It’s important to recognize sex addiction symptoms so that you or someone you love can seek treatment before it is too late.

Some of the most common sex addiction symptoms include a lack of healthy boundaries, excessive masturbation, phone sex, and frequent extramarital affairs. A person who has a sexual addiction might also sexualize feelings like guilt or loneliness and feel the need to engage in these behaviors even when they know it can lead to problems.

It is also possible for people who have sex addictions to develop a high tolerance for certain sexual behaviors. It may be difficult for them to feel turned on by the same things they used to and might need to increase the level of their participation in those behaviors in order to continue to get pleasure from them.

Another sign of sex addiction is obsessive thoughts or sexual fantasies that interfere with daily functioning. These feelings can become so overwhelming that the person might ignore their job responsibilities, family commitments, or other responsibilities in order to satisfy their sexual urges.

People who have a sexual addiction might be reluctant to talk about their compulsive behavior with others. This can make it harder to get the help that they need. However, there are programs for sex addiction treatment that are very similar to those offered for other forms of addictive behavior such as alcohol or drug addiction. These programs usually consist of group meetings where a person can share their story and receive support from other members of the program. There are also sex addiction recovery programs that offer specific medications such as mood stabilizers.