Online sites dedicated to cheating spouses, hooky uppy apps that let you meet people just around the corner for instant gratification, video chats with complete strangers on the other side of the world that turn into long-term “relationships” – how has the Internet changed the nature of relationships, for good or bad, and what do […]
While love and sex are certainly not inseparable, romantic love only rarely exists without sexual involvement. For many people, sexual attraction is a critical component of loving their romantic partner. Sex and love are certainly both intense physical and emotional experiences, and like many such experiences they can give rise to obsession and even addiction.
Unfortunately, there is not yet a formalized process for identifying, diagnosing, and treating women who struggle with sexual addiction. Furthermore, there is precious little research on women who sexually act out. This deficiency is in part related to many addiction and mental health professionals failing to recognize the subtleties of addictive and impulsive behavior patterns
At this time, “sex addiction” is among the more hotly debated topics in the mental health community. This controversy is not without merit – there should always be a significant debate before any form of inherently healthy human behavior (such as sex) is clinically designated as pathological (unhealthy). The power to label must always be
Is Sex Addiction an Official Mental Health Diagnosis? Read More »
Love addiction, like many addictions, follows certain patterns. In the realm of love, sex, and relationship addictions, there are a number of interlocking roles and complimentary patterns of behavior. In this article, you will learn about these related roles. If any of these patterns or behaviors look a little too familiar, you may want to
For most people, pornography is a quick and convenient route to sexual pleasure. Typically it is turned to when a close physical connection is either not available or not desired. Unfortunately, for some people, viewing pornography – with or without masturbation – can grow into an emotionally crippling addiction. In fact, research tells us that
Nearly everyone is familiar with and understands to some degree the concept of a substance addiction – abuse of and dependency on chemicals such as nicotine, alcohol, illicit drugs, and even prescription medications. More difficult to comprehend is the concept of a behavioral or “process” addiction – compulsively engaging in a potentially pleasurable activity such
How Can a Behavior (Sex, for instance) Become an Addiction? Read More »
It is not uncommon for the lay person to view a sex addict as narcissistic, assuming the individual is focused only on self with a heightened sense of worth. In reality, however, the narcissist is one who tends to use this approach as a defense mechanism to protect the individual against powerful feelings of unworthiness
Sexual anorexia refers to people who may suffer in silence within intimate relationships because they literally self-starve themselves toward sexual behavior.
Sexual Anorexia: Marked by Sexual “Starvation” Mode, or Sexual Binges Read More »
One major problem with sex addiction is that many people don’t understand how destructive, painful and damaging the addiction really is.
Sex Addiction: Not Pleasure, but Pain, Shame and Hopelessness Read More »
