Sexual Addiction Symptoms

Another serious addiction that can cause irreparable harm to a person's life is sexual addiction. Sexual addiction has been defined as "engaging in persistent and escalating patterns of sexual behavior acted out despite increasing negative consequences to self and others" by the National Council on Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity.

Sexual addiction works much like any other addiction, in that a person has to continually intensify the behavior in order to keep achieving the same level of satisfaction they experienced when the addiction first began. The major difference between an addiction to something like drugs or alcohol and an addiction to sex is that sex is a normal, often required, healthy human activity. Consuming drugs and alcohol is not. A person suffering from this problem will often see their lives go down the tubes because of it, losing money, relationships, and even ending up behind bars when their addiction pushes them to commit illegal activities. Many sex offenders are sex addicts, though not all of them, and not all sex addicts become sex offenders. Some sex addicts do not allow their obsession to take them beyond compulsory masterbation, internet porn, and phone sex services. Nonetheless, even these activities can create serious problems in a relationship and in the addict's finances.

Some of the symptoms of sex addiction include a person who feels continually compelled to seek out multiple sexual partners, becomes fixated on an unattainable partner, uses a string of partners for sexual satisfaction, masterbates compulsively, and becomes compulsively involved in love and sexual relationships. The addict will often continue to participate in dangerous sexual behaviors despite health and financial risks, the destruction of close relationships, and the possibility of imprisonment. Legal issues can occur when a sex addict begins to partake in activities such as indecent exposure in public, attempting to spy on people in their bedrooms, making obscene phone calls, or committing sexual assaults. Sex addicts whose criminal impulses are beyond their control often have to be kept imprisoned in order to keep them away from society.

The good news is that there are resources that exist to help sex addicts overcome their addiction. There are outreach groups such as Sex Addicts Anonymous. A sex addict only need speak to their doctor to get a recommendation for counseling and therapy. One of the most important devices for any addict to overcome their issue is to have a good support network. Family members and friends are almost always willing to do whatever they can to help a loved one beat an addiction. For an addict to have a person to call on when they are feeling weak who can help them stay strong is such a powerful tool. No one is expected to fight the demons of addiction alone, and there are many resources out there who can and will help.

To read more about symptoms and how to overcome drug, alcohol, or pornography addiction then visit the comprehensive addiction site.