Mind Diagnostics is user-supported. If you buy through a link on the site, we earn a commission from BetterHelp at no cost to you. Learn More

Recognizing the Need for Sex Addiction Treatment

Reviewed by Wendy Boring-Bray, DBH, LPC · October 26, 2020 ·

Sex is something that most people will agree is a great part of life. You likely look forward to sex because it’s very enjoyable, and it might even make you feel closer to someone you love. However, sex can wind up becoming a bad thing in your life if you become addicted to it. Many don’t realize just how tough it can be to suffer from sex addiction.

Source: rawpixel.com

When you become addicted to sex, it makes it tough for you to focus on other areas of your life. People who are addicted to sex aren’t going to just sleep around with others. Being a sex addict isn’t the same as having a promiscuous lifestyle. When you’re truly addicted, you’ll make poor life choices just to get the sex that you crave.

It could even wind up putting you in a situation where your career and family life will be in jeopardy. How can you tell if you’re addicted to sex, though? Keep reading to get more information about how to know when to seek sex addiction help. If you’re able to learn more about what sex addiction is like, you should be able to better understand when it’s time to seek professional assistance.

Sex Addiction Is Hurting Your Career

Knowing when to get help for sex addiction can be tricky when you’re the one experiencing it. Most people who are addicted to something don’t realize that they’re having a problem. This is why you need to look out for the signs that things are going bad in your life. When you notice this, you’ll better understand that it’s time to seek out sexual addiction help.

Some sex addicts have been put in a situation where their careers are in trouble due to their actions. If you are so addicted to sex that you start seeking it out instead of going to work, then that’s going to be problematic. This could go several ways since sex addiction can refer to many different types of sexual behaviors. The first problem you could encounter is that you will start skipping work to have sex with other people.

This is a compulsive behavior that you don’t feel like you can control properly. When you’re addicted to sex, it’s hard to focus on anything but your sexual desires. You might understand that this could cost you your job, but that doesn’t matter to you as much as having sex does at that moment. It’s also possible that you could make sexual advances toward others while on the job, which could be a huge issue.

Source: rawpixel.com

There are even sex addicts who have issues with compulsive masturbation. Feeling the strong urge to pleasure yourself during your workday could get you fired or worse. Sex addicts will sometimes seek out dangerous sexual situations like this because they feel it’s exciting, and the addiction makes it so that they can’t behave rationally. If this is something that has been happening in your life, then it’s time to get help for sex addiction.

You Can’t Stop Cheating

Cheating on your partner is something that can hurt them very deeply. To be clear, not everyone who cheats on their partners will be addicted to sex somehow. It’s just true that many sex addicts cannot seem to help themselves when it comes to seeking out new sexual partners. When someone is addicted to sex, they will wind up trying to have sex as often as possible.

When someone can’t think rationally, they aren’t going to put much consideration into things. They won’t think about how their actions could hurt the person that they love the most. Many don’t even realize that their partners could wind up, leaving them because of infidelity. All they really consider is that they want sex, and they do what they need to do to try to get it.

If you compulsively cheat on your significant other, then it’s definitely time to try to get some help. There are sex addict anonymous groups that can help people in your situation. You might love your partner very much, but it’s going to be hard to turn things around on your own. Thankfully, you don’t have to when professionals are on your side.

You’re Making Dangerous Life Choices To Get Sex

Source: rawpixel.com

Putting yourself in very dangerous situations just to have sex is another sign that you might be a sex addict. Many sex addicts exhibit unusual behavior when it comes to their sexual habits. Some get so desperate to have sex that they will do things you wouldn’t think they would do. This could include unusually risky sex acts that could get someone hurt.

One common situation that people encounter when they’re addicted to sex is prostitution. There are sex addicts who try to seek out prostitutes when they’re unable to find willing partners. This could easily lead to an increased risk of sexually transmitted diseases. It wouldn’t be outside of the question for someone addicted to sex to try to offer themselves to people either.

If you aren’t addicted to sex, then it might sound absurd to think that someone could suffer from sexual addiction this badly. People really do have problems with this, though, and it’s something that can ruin lives. It can ruin your life to get a serious, sexually transmitted disease, and it can also change things for you if you wind up going through a divorce. When sex addiction is present, it makes it almost impossible to focus on anything but your urge to have sex.

You’re Suffering From Other Types Of Addiction

You might be suffering from other types of addiction as well. Many people who are going through sex addiction are also dealing with issues such as depression or anxiety. Those who have anxiety symptoms on top of sex addiction might try to drown out the pain by self-medicating. This could lead to an individual becoming addicted to drugs or alcohol.

You’ll often find that sex addicts will get help from Alcoholics Anonymous as well. It could also be true that being addicted to alcohol or drugs could contribute to the poor choices you’re making in life. Various types of addiction can be tough to deal with when you don’t have the right help. This is why seeking out AA-recovery and going to AA meetings can make such a difference in your life.

If you’re worried about whether you’re feeling depressed or not, then you can take the time to figure things out. Check out this depression test that will give you a good indication of whether you’re going through depression because of your life situation. If you are depressed, you’ll be able to turn things around with compassionate professionals at a sex addict anonymous group. Many people go through an existential crisis when they’re addicted to sex and other things, but you never have to suffer alone.

Treatment

Source: rawpixel.com

Treatment is available for sex addiction, and you shouldn’t feel like you need to wait to get help. If your life is in chaos because of sex addiction, then you can start walking down the road to recovery today. It can take time to work through all of your sex issues, but you will be able to do so if you’re committed to the process. Many people who have been addicted to sex in the past have been able to turn things around with treatment and the support of others who care about their well-being.

If you have a supportive partner, you might want to encourage you to get the help you need. It might feel like you’ll never be able to change right now, but it’s hard to see things clearly when you’re addicted to sex. Getting a treatment can clear your mind over time so that you can start making better choices again. Eventually, you’re going to put yourself in a situation where your life will feel normal again. Getting there won’t happen overnight, but the first step will involve admitting that you need help.

Coming up with a smart recovery strategy can help to change your life for the better. You’ll be able to figure out how to live your life without sex so that you can get back to being the person that you want to be. Over time, you might even be able to develop healthy sexual habits once more. It’ll be necessary to abstain from sex for a time, but there is hope that you can return to being a committed partner in a good relationship in the future.

Sex addiction doesn’t have to ruin your life if you’re able to get help. If you aren’t able to seek out help, then you could very well start walking down a dark path that is hard to get off of. You aren’t alone in dealing with sex addiction, but it can make you feel like you are when you’re going through all of this. Turn things around for the sake of your mental health and your loved ones. You can reclaim your life with the help of sex addict anonymous meetings.

Find out if you have Sex Addiction

Take this mental health test. It's quick, free, and you'll get your confidential results instantly.

Mental health conditions are real, common, and treatable. If you or someone you know thinks you are suffering from sex addiction then take this quick online test or click to learn more about the condition.

Take test Learn more