Sex Addiction

People who struggle with sex addiction get caught up in compartmentalizing their life, attempting to separate their private sexual life from their public life. Oftentimes, they become skilled at only exposing certain bits and pieces of who they are, leaving friends, family, coworkers, and the greater communities in the dark. This can be quite exhausting! Underneath the surface, the addict harnesses secrets, fantasies, lies, infidelities, and many other debilitating factors that leave them feeling void, anxious, depressed, and hopeless. According Dr. Patrick Carnes (2001), internationally known author on sex addiction and recovery, the addiction cycle that many sex and porn addicts face begins with preoccupation, ritualization, compulsive sexual behavior, and then despair. To make matters worse, addicts will often reengage in this cycle in hopes to break it, saying things to them self, such as “just this one last time.” If you have been faced with some consequence because of compulsive sexual activity, it may benefit you to ask yourself some of the following questions:

Do you experience recurrent failure to stop sexual impulses?

Have you engaged in sexual behaviors to a greater extent over a longer period of time than intended?

Do you experience the persistent desire and/or unsuccessful attempts to stop, reduce, or control those behaviors?

Do you spend inordinate amounts of time obtaining sex, being sexual, or recovering from sexual experiences?

Do you experience preoccupation with sexual behavior?

Do you frequently engage in sexual behavior when expected to fulfill occupational, academic, domestic, or social obligations?

Do you continue the behavior despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent social, financial, psychological, or physical problem that is caused or exacerbated by the behavior?

Are you needing to increase the intensity, frequency, or risk level of behaviors in order to achieve the desired effect; or do you experience diminished effects with continued behaviors at the same level of intensity, frequency, or risk?

Do you give up or limit social, occupational, or recreational activities because of sexual behavior?

Do you experience distress, anxiety, restlessness, or irritability if unable to engage in the behavior?

If you have said yes to at least 3 of the questions listed above, a diagnosis is probable for sex addiction. Most sex addicts say yes to at least 5 of the above mentioned criteria, while more than half of sex addicts have seven or more (Wines, 1997; Carnes and Adams, 2020).

If you are currently experiencing distress because of compulsive sexual behavior, I am here to help. I want to help you break the cycle of addiction, reroute your belief system, restore sanity, and help you recover, I also want to address the etiological factors that began your addiction, along with the accompanying mental health symptoms. If you believe there is a chance you may have a sex addiction, I encourage you to take a step. I recognize the challenge, stigma, shame, and guilt that come with addressing addiction. Here at ORC, I am familiar with this journey and desire to assist in breaking the grip of what is debilitating you. If you want to inquire about my services, or are thinking about taking a step, please contact me today at 614-506-5789! I look forward to working with you!