Understanding Sex Addiction

Sex addiction can begin in a number of different ways and lead to a myriad of practices. No single behaviour pattern defines sexual addiction. Some sex addicts have one specific unwanted behaviour, while others have numerous practices.

Sexual addiction follows the same progressive nature of other addictions. Sexual addicts struggle to control their behaviours and experience despair over constant failure to do so. Their loss of self-esteem grows, adding to the need to escape further into addictive behaviour.

Sex addiction is dangerous because it can lead individuals to put themselves or others in potentially harmful circumstances in order to satisfy a sexual impulse. Many people with this affliction feel that their sex addiction began with an affinity for one act or experience. That affinity can grow stronger and lead to sex addiction.

Often sex addiction starts by viewing pseudo-pornography such as modelling sites, chat rooms and other sites that often contain seductive images, but may not be classified as pornography. Very quickly this kind of online behaviour can spiral down to a place where the addict begins to need more intense images to be stimulated. Pornography is both very alluring and very addictive. The websites that are distributing the material are designed to draw in the viewer, dangle free content and easy sign-ups in an attempt to capture a new user.