20 Mar Six Signs You May Be Suffering From Sex Addiction
Sex addiction, may be referred to as hypersexual disorder, is characterized by persistent and escalating sexual thoughts and acts that have a negative impact on the individual’s life. There are a wide range of signs that you may be suffering from sex addiction. You may exhibit some or all of these characteristics, everyone is different.
- Excessive Masturbation
Whilst masturbation is a healthy and natural behaviour, excessive and compulsive masturbation can impact your life in negative ways. If your masturbation habits are affecting your relationships, your own peace of mind, your professional or social life; this may be a sign you are suffering from sex addiction.
- Porn Addiction
Porn addiction is an addictive disorder on it’s own, characterised by an uncontrollable desire to watch pornography, however this can also be a symptom of sex addiction. Watching pornography is a natural behaviour but can become an issue if you find yourself prioritising porn consumption over normal social aspects of life; such as staying home more and more to view porn rather than going to work or socialising with friends and family.
- Frequently engaging in multiple sexual partners
People who suffer from sex addiction may find themselves engaging in sexual activity with multiple partners. They may spend their time cruising for partners and move between them quite quickly. People with sex addiction often relate this to being like a drug addict, constantly seeking their next high and never really being fulfilled. They may also neglect obligations such as work, school or family in pursuit of sex.
- Risky or unsafe sex
Sex addicts may find themselves engaging in sexual activity such as having unprotected sex at the risk of contracting STD’s, engaging in public sex or having sex with complete disregard for any negative consequences.
- Exhibitionism
Another common trait of sex addicts is exhibitionism or exposing oneself in public. This is usually a compulsion that the person feels they are unable to control.
- Voyeurism
This aspect of Sexual Addiction relates to the compulsive act of staring (ogling) or observing/objectifying/sexualising (often in secret) other people in public or private places, such as peeking through windows and hoping to observe strangers undressing or in sexual acts, or sexualising people when walking down the street, being in a shopping centre, supermarket, or in other public places. This can be a very secretive addiction and generate enormous arousal beyond the addicts capability of control. Voyeurs can even progress to the point of taking secret snapshots of strangers in public, or placing hidden cameras in their homes or the homes of friends and filming non-suspecting residents and guests without their knowledge or consent, and masturbating to sexual fantasies about their victims. Voyeurs even derive a great deal of sexual pleasure through just preparing for and fantasising about their actions.