Is Your Sexual Addiction Taking Over Your Life and Damaging Your Relationships?

What Sexual Addiction Looks Like? 

Like any addiction, sexual addiction is a condition that poses a risk to one's mental and physical health. Similar to other addictions, it is dangerous and can be very destructive. The difference between sexual activity and addiction is an addiction becomes harmful to you or your loved ones. Likewise, behaviors begin to interfere with your daily life. 

What does sexual addiction look like? It varies, but in the end, the reason why it's an addiction is that the behaviors have become compulsive. Thoughts turn into impulses that take over your daily life. As a result, your addiction negatively impacts work, relationships, and even simple every day activities. 

Your sex addiction may seem harmless. In fact, you may believe your behaviors promote intimacy within your relationship. However, it's often those behaviors that ruin your sexual relationship. Also, it can lead to unattainable expectations. As a result, it's usually very damaging to relationships.

If this situation sounds like yours, your sexual addiction may be controlling you. At NOVA Counseling, we can help you overcome your addictive behaviors. 

What Are the Negative Effects of a Sexual Addiction? 

One thing every addiction has in common is it affects the ability to manage life without it. For example, if intimacy is not enjoyable without viewing porn first, this area of life is likely unmanageable. In other words, you need your addiction to experience enjoyment. 

An adverse effect of addiction is the impact on your relationships. Addiction often leads to a lack of empathy for others. As your sexual addiction moves up on your priority list, your loved ones move down. A common reaction to a partner who begins to question your behaviors is often anger or denial. As a result, you may push your relationships away without realizing what you're doing. On the contrary, you may be very aware of what you're doing and begin to feel overcome with shame and guilt. 

Do you find yourself defending or denying your actions? Likewise, do you spend time justifying why you're doing certain things? Have you started to lie to avoid confrontation? Each behavior may be an indicator you have a sexual addiction. 

Are There People Suffering From Sexual Addiction?

There is a growing number of people who are suffering from sexual addiction. Hence, support groups are also on the rise. Many people seek treatment and support to regain control of life. Often, a second addiction accompanies sexual addiction. As a result, there are support groups that offer co-addiction support. 

At NOVA Counseling, we can help you overcome your sexual addiction. Treatment aims to reduce the need to act upon your impulses. Likewise, we help you build and maintain healthy relationships through healing and recovery. We also help you learn how to nurture healthy habits as you create a plan to avoid relapse. We are here to help you. Call us today.