What is Sex Addiction?

Addiction is a powerful driving force behind negative behaviors. Those that struggle with addictions find that they go out of their way, hurting themselves, their relationships, and their futures in an effort to satisfy that addiction, and often the more your lifestyle revolves around that addiction, the addicting it can become.

Yet while most people are aware of drugs and alcohol addiction, the truth is that there are many other behavioral issues that can cause addiction issues, and one such example is sex addiction, which affects as many as 3 to 5% of the population and can lead to drastic negative consequences that affect not only the sex addict, but also their friends and family.

Sex Addiction: Not Always What it Seems

Healthy intimacy and sexuality is important for a high quality of life. Engaging in sex frequently or in ways that are considered sexually unusual, is not necessarily sex addiction either. Sex itself is a healthy part of a person’s life, and many people enjoy or engaging in sexual intercourse regularly without qualifying for an addiction.

But for millions of men and women across Canada, sex addiction is a series of behaviors that lead to constant struggles. Those struggling with sex addiction find:

• Sex has a drastic negative effect on their work and home life.
• They struggle to control sexual encounters that even they believe are dangerous or immoral.
• They continue this behavior even when they themselves find their quality of life suffers.

There is no one type of sex addiction either. Some people struggle with a pornography addiction, unable to stop watching/viewing pornography even during inappropriate settings in ways that may even affect their ability to perform without pornography present. Others may engage in high risk sexual behaviors, frequently engaging with strangers in ways that are more and more dangerous or put them at risk for disease. Others simply find that their pre-occupation with sex is so strong, that it becomes their only drive or source of comfort.

There are many different ways that sex addiction can manifest, but all of them can represent a very serious problem, not only for the sex addiction sufferer, but also for those they’re in relationships with and those that have a role in their sexual exploits.

Getting Help for Your Sex Addiction

Living with sex addiction can be a constant struggle, and since society doesn’t always understand the sex addiction lifestyle or issues, it is an addiction where few people seek help even though effective help is out there. If you’re interested in learning more about our sex addiction therapy, contact CALGARY SEX ADDICTION COUNSELLING today at 403-879-2503. We’d love to tell you more about our services, and how to start you on the path towards freeing yourself of your addictive behaviors.