For many people, sex and love are vital components of life, but when these urges get out of control it can cause problems. In addition to the emotional, physical, and social difficulties that sex addiction can bring, it often leads to an increase in sexually transmitted diseases such as herpes, HIV, and chlamydia. Sexual addiction can also have financial consequences as money is spent on sex and pornography. It can also lead to the breakdown of relationships as the person becomes consumed by their sexual activity.
Those suffering from sex or love addiction may benefit from psychodynamic therapy, which can help them understand their emotions and how they affect their thoughts and behavior. This can help them work through underlying issues that are contributing to their sexual addiction, such as depression and an unhealthy attachment. In addition, couples therapy can be beneficial for those who are in a relationship and are struggling with sexual addiction.
Like other types of addictions, such as alcohol or gambling, sex addiction is a disease that requires treatment in order to overcome it. Typically, sex addiction treatment involves individual and group therapy, family counseling, 12-Step support groups, and/or psychiatric medication. A premier rehabilitation facility will also review the underlying causes of the addictive behavior and teach a client how to manage their sexual addiction, similar to how someone with an eating disorder learns how to control their binge-eating. These steps can help them live a happy and healthy life in recovery. sex addiction san diego