How To Tell if you are a Sex Addict

As many as 24 million people in the United States alone, are sex addicts. The number of people affected by sex addiction is much higher, as this disorder doesn't just affect the person who's addicted, but those around them as well. If you think this might be a problem for you, then continue reading as we discuss some things to help you tell if you're a sex addict.

It might start out harmless enough, you might just think you have a healthy sex drive, and if that's where it ends, it's fine. Liking sex and enjoying it on a regular basis does not make someone a sex addict. Sex addiction is no different from any other addiction. When someone is addicted they can't live without it, they have a hard time going a day, and sometimes even hours without sexual stimulation of some type. They constantly seek out sexual gratification no matter the risk. If they lose their job, their home, their relationships, this is not as important to them when their mind is on getting their "fix".

People who have a sex addiction are many times married, or in a serious relationship. They find that over time they are not satisfied by their spouse or regular sexual partner any longer and will begin supplementing this relationship with pornography. They will most likely masturbate during their pornography sessions, but this too will begin to not be enough for them. The next step will generally be seeking out partners online for sexual chats or even using phone sex lines. For many addicts the combination of these things is enough to keep their urges at bay, but for many it will go much further.

Something important to note is that sex addicts think about nothing but sex 24-hours a day. This makes relationships, jobs and even a normal life difficult. When the spouse, pornography, masturbation and sex chats are not enough, the sex addict may turn to strip clubs or look for new people to have sex with. As sexual addiction progresses, it becomes riskier. In a pinch the addict may result to illegal things such as voyeurism, soliciting a prostitute or even worse, committing a sex crime against another person.

Thankfully it never gets that far for most. There are treatment options available for sex addicts. A highly effective 12-step program through Sexaholics Anonymous, and individual therapy would also be highly recommended.