The Consequences of Sex Addiction

People with sex addiction often describe the same types of feelings – hopelessness, trapped, angry, frustrated and depressed. In contrast to stereotypes or movie portrayals of sex addiction, the condition is anything but funny or pleasurable. For the nearly 16 million Americans believed to have sex addiction, it’s a life-destructive problem that’s progressive in nature and difficult to talk about. It also occurs with rising frequency among both genders.

Across the globe, sex addiction remains a popular area of both information and debate, typically centering around whether the condition is authentic or if people who have sex with many partners are just enjoying the activity.

A recent article from Australian Women’s Health explains that research at UCLA has declared the symptoms for sex addiction, which is also called hypersexuality. These symptoms are not extraordinarily different from alcohol addiction or drug addiction, and experts hope that new research on the brain and psychological effects of sex addiction will help reduce the stigma associated with the illness.

Among the significant findings of the study was that patients who met the criteria for hypersexual disorder experienced significantly greater consequences for their sexual activities, compared with individuals with a substance-abuse diagnosis or a general medical condition. Of the 207 patients they examined, 17 percent had lost a job at least once, 39 percent had a relationship end, 28 percent contracted a sexually transmitted infection and 78 percent had interference with healthy sex.

“So an individual meeting the criteria for hypersexual disorder can experience significant challenges and consequences in their life,” said Rory Reid, a research psychologist and assistant professor of psychiatry who led the study. “Our study showed increased hypersexual behavior was related to greater emotional disturbance, impulsivity and an inability to manage stress.”

Interestingly, the researchers found that 54 percent of the hypersexual patients felt their sexual behavior began to be problematic before the age of 18. Another 30 percent reported that their sexual behavior began to be problematic during their college-aged years, from 18 to 25.

“This appears to be a disorder that emerges in adolescence and young adulthood, which has ramifications for early intervention and prevention strategies,” Reid said.

Sex addiction may involve several symptoms:

•  Numerous attempts to stop the behavior, with none of the attempts being successful. A person with sex addiction may swear they will stop having sex with multiple partners or stop paying for sex services, but will find themselves unable to manage their cravings effectively.
•  Obsessive and compulsive thoughts about sex. Like alcohol addiction, a person with sex addiction thinks about their next opportunity to engage in sex and can become restless or irritated if that opportunity can’t be found. Unwanted sexual thoughts about coworkers, friends or even family members can also be present and create a sense of shame that prevents a person from seeking help.
•  Inability to control urges for the behavior, despite the consequences. A person living with sex addiction may know they could lose their job for engaging in sex at work or on their computer. They know getting caught may result in a divorce and family break-up, yet cannot stop themselves.
•  The presence of other addictions, such as compulsive overeating, substance abuse or gambling addiction, may also coexist with sex addiction for many people. The person may try to avoid negative emotions or react to stressful environments with a compulsive or addictive behavior, including sex.