Sex Addiction Therapy

sex addictionCompulsive Sexual Behavior/Sex Addiction

Sexual expression is a natural part of a healthy life.

However, if you become obsessed with sexual thoughts, behaviors or feelings that affect your health, job, relationships or other parts of your life, you may have compulsive sexual behavior.

Compulsive sexual behavior, sometimes referred to as sexual addiction, is a form of hyper sexuality that turns normal sexual experiences into an obsession with sex.

If left untreated these obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors can wreak havoc on a person’s life, causing depression, lowering self-esteem and creating intense anxiety. It can cause a person to go outside of acceptable legal or moral bounds, potentially causing grave consequences to himself/herself and his/her family.

Are you struggling with any of the following issues?

  • Compulsive sexual behavior of any type
  • Excessive masturbation
  • Anonymous and/or promiscuous sexual encounters
  • Cheating
  • Hyper sexuality (extremely frequent sexual impulsivity)
  • Obsessive sexual thoughts
  • Excessive online sexual chatting
  • Pornography addiction (compulsive viewing of pornography)

These types of behaviors are often driven by anxiety and act as anxiety-reduction mechanisms. As the behavior becomes more and more compulsive the person may find that he is unable to relate to his partner on a meaningful level or unable to enjoy healthy sexual experiences.

As a Board Certified Clinical Sexologist, Diplomate of the American Board of Sexology, and Certified Sex Therapist, I not only understand these issues but I can help you to get to the root of the problem, resolve it and enhance your quality of life.

Call me for a confidential consultation.

Pornography Addiction

Looking at pornography has never been easier. The Internet offers up free porn sites to anyone with a digital connection. Merely looking at pornography whether alone or with a partner can be a perfectly acceptable erotic experience.

However when someone spends increasingly more time thinking about porn, planning to look at porn and then looking at porn, often to the exclusion of engaging in a healthy sexual relationship with another person, he may have a pornography addiction. (We could also say that he has a pornography compulsion).

Some people become so involved with pornography that their entire sex life revolves around it. They find that they can only be stimulated while with a partner when they are viewing pornographic material.

Here are some indicators:

  • If the use of porn feels like it is out of your control and you have made unsuccessful efforts to quit or limit your use.
  • If you feel guilty, shame, depressed, and/or remorse after using pornography.
  • If you keep your pornography use or the extent of your pornography use secret from others and worry that others will find out about your use.
  • If the use of pornography consumes your thinking. When you are not watching pornography, you think about it frequently and anticipate when you will use it again. You spend increasing amounts of time using pornography.
  • If your use of pornography has negative consequences in your life. For example, you may neglect responsibilities or become less effective in your job or in school. You might spend too much money on porn or put yourself in dangerous situations you would not normally be in as a result. You may have been caught using porn in inappropriate places such as work or a campus computer lab.
  • If your use of pornography causes problems in your personal or intimate relationships, such as creating emotional distance between people you love or causing those in a relationship with you to feel neglected. You may jeopardize relationships due to the pornography.

If you have a problem with pornography I can help you with sex addiction counseling. Call me for a confidential consultation.

Chemical Dependency/Substance Abuse

Substance abuse can simply be defined as a pattern of harmful use of any substance for mood-altering purposes. What may have once been an occasional recreational use has become a more consistent pattern of abuse.

Chemical Dependency implies that the person has become dependent on the substance, or his tolerance has grown such that he now has a habit which requires regular use to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

  • Are you using or abusing alcohol or other drugs, including prescription medication?
  • Have any friends or family members ever asked you to cut down or stop?

Do any of the following scenarios apply to you?
  • DUI (Driving Under the Influence)?
  • Fighting with a spouse or even strangers while under the influence?
  • Being arrested?
  • Causing embarrassment to yourself, your family or friends while under the influence?
  • Being late for or not being able to show up for work or social events because of your substance use?
  • Thinking about using (or buying you drug of choice) throughout the day?
  • Obsessing about how to get your drug of choice?

If you or someone you know has experienced any of the above, it is time to get help! Many people resort to using drugs and alcohol to medicate their anxious or depressed feelings. Whatever the causes, substance abuse is a very serious problem.

I can help. Call me at 305-933-9779 or email me for a confidential consultation.