Do you also suffer from sexual thoughts? Is this about sex addiction?

Do you sometimes feel like you can't control sexual thoughts, desires, or certain sexual activities that come to your mind, and that these things are spinning in your head, and that your whole day, your whole life, revolves around them? If this is causing you a lot of stress, sadness, and shame, and if it is interfering with your daily activities, relationships with family, and work, then today we are talking about a topic that may be important to you too.

What is sex addiction?

Simply put, sexual addiction is an uncontrollable preoccupation with sexual fantasies, desires, or activities. This condition can cause you stress and can harm your health, family relationships, work, or other aspects of your life. Most people use the term "sexual addiction" to describe it. However, doctors or mental health professionals may also refer to it as ``Compulsive Sexual Behavior'', ``Problematic Sexual Behavior'', ``Hypersexuality'', ``Hypersexuality Disorder'', ``Sexual Compulsivity'', or ``Sexual Impulsivity''. It is usually related to things that can be found in a sexual life. That means things like masturbation, watching pornography, phone sex, cybersex, having more than one sexual partner. However, if your sexual thoughts and activities invade your entire life, then we think it could be a sexual addiction.

Is this like other addictions?

Yes, really. That "addiction feeling" is there in this too. Just like someone addicted to alcohol or drugs feels a strong desire for those things, this is how it feels about sex. It's uncontrollable, it's annoying, it's impossible to be satisfied no matter how much you do, it's like a car going on `autopilot`. You know that this will have bad consequences, but you resort to the same behavior again and again. Imagine, if some people think about sex from the moment they wake up in the morning until they go to bed at night, forgetting their work and family for it, how stressful it is.

How common is this condition? Who is most affected?

According to American statistics, this condition affects between 3% and 10% of the general population. It is more common among boys than girls. For every two men with hypersexuality, one in five women is affected. The condition usually begins around the age of 18. However, most people seek professional help around the age of 37. That means they struggle with this problem alone for a long time.Additionally, it has been found that about 88% of people with this condition also have other mental health problems. Some of these include:

• Mood disorders, such as Bipolar Disorder.
• Anxiety Disorders.
• Having attempted suicide before.
• Personality Disorders.
• Other addictions .
• Impulse Control Disorders.
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder ( OCD ) is a disease characterized by intrusive thoughts and actions.
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ( ADHD ).

Is sex addiction considered a mental illness?

There is still some debate about this. The American Psychiatric Association rejected a proposal to include Hypersexual Disorder in their Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5). They said the reason for this was a lack of sufficient evidence and concerns about the potential consequences of calling excessive sexual activity a "disease."

What kind of things does a person like this think and feel?

A person with a sexual addiction may experience feelings like:

• A feeling of guilt, shame, or regret.
• A feeling of hopelessness about the addictive behavior, a feeling of being unable to control it.
• Depression , loneliness.
• Fear, anxiety.
• It's not surprising that people feel like taking their own lives.

Imagine, if you feel ashamed and sad about something you're doing, but can't stop it, how helpless it feels?

What are the symptoms of sexual addiction?

Although there are no specific criteria for diagnosing hypersexuality, there are several common characteristics that can be seen in someone with this condition:

• You are obsessed with sex . You fantasize about sexual desires, engage in sexual behavior. This takes up a lot of your day.
• You may masturbate once or several times a day.
• You often watch pornography. That means videos, adult magazines, websites on the Internet, webcams, etc. You often masturbate while watching pornography.
• You spend a lot of time planning sexual activities. You spend a lot of time figuring out where and how to get your next sexual "fun."
• You are using sex services regularly. This is a bit of a serious situation, because now a person is involved in your activities. It could be things like sexting over the phone, communicating through internet chat rooms, paying for sex, going to strip clubs, having frequent one-night stands, having multiple partners.
• Your behavior escalates to reckless sexual activity. Perhaps sexual activity is accompanied by dangerous behaviors such as drug use, sexual aggression, or ``autoerotic asphyxiation'' (suffocating yourself for sexual stimulation ).
• Engaging in sexual behavior that goes against your personal values, religious beliefs, or what society approves of.
• You often refer to situations called `(Paraphilia)`. These are sexual behaviors that cause psychological distress, injury, or even death to another person. For example: `(Exhibitionism)`, `(Voyeurism)`, `(Sadomasochism)`, and `(Pedophilia)`.
• You can't stop this sexual behavior, even if it has bad consequences for your money, relationships, health, and soul.

What complications can this cause?

Sexual addiction can cause problems like:

• You lose normal, healthy relationships with your sexual partner and family members.
• Because you can't focus on your job properly, watching pornography at work can cause your work to suffer and you may even lose your job.
• Spending money on sexual activities causes financial problems.
• Health problems. Pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as HIV, Hepatitis B and C, Syphilis, and Gonorrhea can occur.
• Turning to drug use or excessive alcohol consumption.
• Mental health conditions such as stress, anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts.
• If you are involved in sexual crimes, you may even have to go to prison.
• Feeling a heavy burden on the mind due to things like guilt, shame, and disappointment.

What are the causes of sexual addiction?

Scientists still don't know exactly what causes this, but some theories suggest that it could be caused by:

• An imbalance of certain chemicals in your brain.Increased levels or activity of chemicals called ``neurotransmitters'', such as ``Dopamine'', ``Norepinephrine'', and ``Serotonin'', that carry messages in the brain, can increase sexual desire and behavior.
• Diseases or damage to the parts of the brain that control sexual behavior. This condition can also be caused by diseases such as `(Dementia)`, `(Epilepsy)`, `(Bipolar Disorder)`, or damage to parts of the brain such as `(Frontal lobe)`, `(Amygdala)`, `(Prefrontal cortex)`.
• Brain function changes, creating new neural pathways for addictive behaviors.
• Drug use, especially cocaine, amphetamines, and alcohol.
• As a side effect of some medications. An example is the drug ``Levodopa`` used for Parkinson's Disease.

How to recognize this condition?

When you see a doctor or mental health counselor , they will ask you things like:

• About your current health condition, existing illnesses, illnesses in your family, and the medications, vitamins, and herbal products you are taking.
• Do you use drugs or alcohol?
• They will ask about your sexual thoughts, desires, and behaviors, the level of control you have over them, and any other sexual symptoms.

The doctor may also ask your family and friends for permission to ask for information. The doctor will also try to rule out other conditions, such as bipolar disorder, hyperandrogenism, anxiety, personality disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and Tourette's disorder, as hypersexuality can also be a symptom of other conditions. Currently, there is no agreed-upon set of criteria for diagnosing hypersexuality. However, mental health professionals who specialize in addictions can identify sexual behaviors that are affecting your life and can recommend appropriate treatment.

How is it treated?

Treatment for sexual addiction, or hypersexuality , involves a combination of medications, psychotherapy, and participation in self-help groups.

Medications

There is no specific medication approved for sex addiction. However, you can try medications that affect the hormones and chemicals in the brain that control "desires and behaviors," as well as medications for similar medical conditions. Your doctor will also consider your other mental health conditions and prescribe the most appropriate medication for you.

• Antidepressants: Medications in the class of SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) are considered the first-line treatment for sex addiction.
• Medicines that control male hormones (Anti-androgens):These work by targeting male sex hormones. They are useful for reducing obsessive thoughts. You can try these when you have sexual behavior that is so extreme that it could be dangerous to others.
• Naltrexone (Vivitrol®, Revia®): This medication, which is used to treat alcohol and opioid addiction, has also been found to be helpful for gambling addiction. It may also help with sex addiction.
• Mood stabilizers: These may be helpful if you have a condition like bipolar disorder that is accompanied by mania or impulsivity, and hypersexuality is a feature of the condition. Examples include lithium, valproate (Depakote®), and carbamazepine (Tegretol®).
• Anti-anxiety medications: If anxiety is the cause of your sexual behavior, you can try these medications. Buspirone is one example that may help.
• Other medications: If you have thought disorders or severe agitation, you may want to consider antipsychotics. These medications can reduce sexual desire, arousal, and orgasm. If you have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (associated with sexual risk-taking), medications such as methylphenidate and dextroamphetamine may be helpful.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is a multi-faceted approach. In this, you talk to a mental health counselor . He or she helps you identify and manage the factors that cause and exacerbate your hypersexual behavior. This treatment is given to individuals, families, and couples, as well as to others. Because a person's sexual addiction affects everyone.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): This psychotherapy gradually replaces your negative thoughts and behaviors with other ways to reduce your sexual urges and deal with them better.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): This uses the techniques of acceptance and mindfulness. The goal is to help people accept the stress they feel and change their relationship with those thoughts, rather than changing their thoughts.
• Motivational Interviewing: This psychotherapy guides you through your own exploration of your sexual addiction in relation to your personal goals and values.

Self-help support groups

These are modeled after the 12-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous. There are several groups, such as Sex Anonymous, Sexaholics Anonymous, Sex Addicts Anonymous, Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous, and Sexual Compulsives Anonymous. You can check the websites of these organizations to find a branch near you.

Can this be prevented?

Whether or not you can prevent sexual addiction depends on the underlying cause(s). Sometimes it can be a chemical imbalance in the brain. Or, it can be a side effect or symptom of another health condition. There are many factors that contribute to the development of sexual addiction. However, while you can't control all of them, you can control some of the things that can trigger your thoughts, desires, urges, and actions. These include:

• Learn about sexual addiction or hypersexuality. You've already taken the first step by reading this article!
• See your doctor or a mental health counselor . They are there to help you, from the point of education.
• Change the things you know are turning you on. Block pornographic websites and other sexual websites on your computer. Avoid streets with strip clubs and take a different route. Think about what other changes you can make.
• Get help for substance abuse issues. If you use alcohol or drugs, your ability to control your sexual urges may be reduced. Ask your doctor for help in stopping these things.
• Manage other mental health conditions well. If you have other mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder, make sure you follow all of your doctor's instructions for managing those conditions. If you feel your condition has changed, make an appointment to see a doctor.
• Focus your energy on healthy things. When your body is focused on something else, your mind can also shift and focus. Get busy. Play sports, join clubs, start a hobby, volunteer for organizations that help others, exercise, meditate, do yoga, or try other ways to reduce stress.
• Be patient, stay focused on your goals. Managing sex addiction is a lifelong commitment. It's up to you to focus on the things that matter most in your life and to repair damaged relationships. You can do this. Your entire healthcare team is here to help you. Let them help you.

How do I know if I have a sex addiction?

Does your sexual behavior make you feel uncomfortable or interfere with important aspects of your life? Do these things happen to you?

• Do you not sleep because of sexual thoughts or actions?
• Are you running late for work?
• Are you shirking your responsibilities?
• Do you lie to your family or hide secrets?
• Do you need more and more intense sexual activities to get the same level of sexual stimulation or satisfaction?
• Do you engage in sexual activities with people or places you wouldn't normally choose because of your sexual desire?
• Do you spend a lot of your waking hours watching pornography?
• Have you ever had, or could you have, legal problems or financial losses because of your sexual behavior?
• Are your sexual fantasies, desires, or behaviors draining you mentally, emotionally, and/or physically?
• Does your sexual behavior conflict with your personal values, religious, or moral beliefs?
• Do you feel shame, regret, disappointment, guilt, loneliness, or suicidal thoughts after your sexual behavior?

If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, it's a good idea to make an appointment with a doctor. He or she may refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist. If you have suicidal thoughts, see a doctor immediately, or call 1926 (the National Mental Health Helpline).

Is there a link between sex addiction and depression?

There may be a connection. Hypersexual behavior may increase during times of low mood and depression. Antidepressant medications may also respond to symptoms of depression.

In summary, things we need to remember

If your sexual desires and activities are causing you distress, taking over your life, and harming your personal, professional, and/or family life, now is the time to talk to your doctor. Many people don't seek treatment because of shame or guilt. Your healthcare team is not judgmental about your sexual behavior. They are there to help you.

Remember, you are not alone. There are many people facing situations like this, and there are many ways to get help.

The best results come from working with everyone – your family, your partner, your medical team, and most importantly, being honest with yourself. There are many treatment options available to help you. Put aside your shame and fear and ask for help.

---

` Sex addiction, hypersexuality, sexual behavior, mental health, treatment, symptoms, counseling