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Up to 8% of adults in the United States may have a sexual addiction, which can lead to problems in their personal lives, physical health concerns, or legal issues. At Community Counseling Services in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, licensed drug and alcohol counselor James Adams, MS, LADC-I, can help you overcome a sex addiction and discover healthy intimate relationships. Schedule an evaluation by calling the office or requesting an appointment online today.
What is a sexual addiction?
A sexual addiction, also called compulsive sexual behavior disorder, is characterized by persistent, intense urges or behaviors related to sex that might feel impossible to control — even when they cause harm or distress. Sex addictions encompass addictions to online sex services, infidelity, pornography, and similar stimuli.
A sex addiction is a type of mental health disorder that can negatively affect your quality of life or lead to legal problems. See James for therapies that address your concerns. He can help you resist unhealthy sexual urges, impulses, and temptations to break a sex addiction.
What are the signs of a sexual addiction?
Signs of a sexual addiction may include:
- Challenges in controlling unhealthy sexual urges
- Relationship conflicts
- Challenges at work
- Guilt
- Shame
- Regret
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Repeated unhealthy sexual fantasies or activities
- Not being able to stop unhealthy sexual thoughts or behaviors
- Needing more and more of a sexually related activity to be fulfilled
- Inappropriate, risky, or illegal sexual behaviors
- Loss of control
- Escalating harmful sexual behavior patterns
Up to 24 million people in the United States may have a sex addiction. This rate could be increasing because of easy access to online sexual material. While sexual addictions are more common among men, women can also develop them.
What may increase the risk of a sexual addiction?
Sexual addiction risk factors can include:
- Family history of a sexual addiction
- Anxiety, depression, boredom, or irritability
- Emotional emptiness
- Low self-esteem
- Loneliness
- Trauma
- Early exposure to pornography
- Relationship conflicts
- Stress
- Sexualized media
- Social isolation
- Impulsivity
- Negative beliefs about yourself
- Feelings of rejection
- Easy access to sexual content
- Difficulty managing emotions
Not looking at online sexual content and maintaining healthy peer relationships may help reduce the risk of a sexual addiction. However, some people have a greater risk of developing it because of their lifestyle, past trauma, or genetics.
How are sexual addictions treated?
Therapy with James at Community Counseling Services can help you combat a sex addiction to lead a more fulfilling life. He offers the following therapies and more:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Drama therapy
- Gestalt therapy
- Group therapy
- Humanistic therapy
- Integrative therapy
- Motivational interviewing
- Person-centered therapy
- Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT)
- Schema therapy
- Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT)
- Strength-based therapy
- Addiction treatment
- Coping skills
- Stress management
- Anger management
- Mindfulness
- Spirituality
James can refer you to group therapy sessions or other community resources when appropriate and follow up to ensure long-lasting outcomes.
Schedule an evaluation with James at Community Counseling Services by phone or online today to treat a sexual addiction.