Sex addiction is typically defined as an excessive preoccupation with sexual thoughts and sexual behavior that seems beyond your control.
After all, most people think about sex on a regular basis β however, does this really make them a sex addict? A sexual addict repeatedly tries to stop or curtail the sexual behavior, but is ultimately unable to do so. Despite efforts to control behavior, the pull is too great and the behavior continues. Sexual addiction usually results in painful feelings of guilt and shame, feeling weak and defective, and over time can lead to depression. Sexual addiction can damage relationships, work productivity, and physical health, or cause legal or financial problems.
When repeated attempts to manage sexual behavior on your own continually fail, sex addiction counseling is necessary in order to effectively overcome the problem. For example, you can masturbate frequently, perhaps several times a day, but that does not necessarily constitute a sex addiction.
The same thinking applies to use of pornography, using sexual hookup sites, or having casual sex. However, this is not meant to be a rule of thumb. Perhaps you think your sexual activity is not causing dysfunction in your life, but your partner does feel the behavior is causing a problem.
Porn addiction is usually accompanied by compulsive masturbation. In our modern technological era this typically takes the form of internet porn, but can also involve traditional magazines, books, videotapes, CDs, and so forth. Online porn addiction includes viewing explicit websites, chat rooms, photos, and videos. It also includes use of internet apps, such as Grindr, Tinder, Mixxxer, and Scruff, which allow you to connect with others looking for sex.
