Nova Scotia Sex Addiction Treatment
RECONNECT. REVITALIZE. REJUVENATE.Nova Scotia Sex Addiction Treatment
Sexual Addiction is not about Sex.
An addiction is defined as an obsessive, compulsive out-of-control behaviour that continues despite negative consequences to self and others. There is often active denial of the problem and may co-occur with drugs, alcohol, cyber addictions.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder (CSBD) is characterized by a persistent inability to control intense, repetitive sexual impulses or urges resulting in recurring sexual behavior. This pattern manifests over an extended period (6 months or more), negatively affecting familial, social, educational and/or occupational areas of functioning.
In other words, people experience sex addiction engage in obsessive, compulsive, out-of-control behaviour such as porn consumption (with or without masturbation), hooking up, visiting prostitutes and “sensual” massage parlors, extra relationship or affairs, sexting/VR sex/porn and living a double life – compartmentalization.
It is important to note that sex/love addiction manifest differently for each person. Nonetheless, the consequences and the impact on the individual are quite similar.
Although sex is often thought of as a means to connect intimately, sex addiction is a barrier to intimacy and connection. Sex addiction creates an escape from past traumatic experiences, emotional pain, and negative emotions that are unresolved.
Defining Features of Sex Addiction:
Sex Addiction is diagnosed based on three primary criteria:
1. Preoccupation to the point of obsession.
Sex addicts spend hours, sometimes even days, fantasizing about, planning for, pursuing, and eventually engaging in sexual acts (with self or others). They often “lose time” when floating around in their sexual obsession.
Most sex addicts try, usually repeatedly, to either quit or cut back on their sexual behaviors. Sometimes they even succeed for a short while. But before they know it, they are back where they started, losing themselves in sexual obsession.
Sex addicts typically experience the same basic consequences as other addicts—problems at work or in school, relationship woes, financial issues, declining physical and/or emotional health, loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities, isolation, arrest, etc.
If someone identifies with the above criteria, it is quite likely that person is addicted and maybe compulsively engaged in one or more of the following behaviours (this is not an exhaustive list):
- Hour after hour of porn and/or webcam use, with or without masturbation.
- Losing themselves in hookup apps and similar technologies—dating sites, video chat, sexting, VR sex and porn, etc.
- Constantly “hunting” for sex—cruising in the car for sex partners, surfing online for sex partners, hanging out in the steam room at the gym, etc.
- An ongoing pattern of intense and highly sexualized affairs or brief “serial” relationships.
- Consistently having casual and/or anonymous sex with people met online or in-person.
- Consistently visiting strip clubs, adult bookstores/theatres, and other sex-driven environments.
- Paying for (or being paid for) sex, sensual massage, eroticized domination, etc.
- A pattern of unsafe sex—unprotected sex, sex with strangers, sex in public, etc.
- Consistently seeking sex without regard to consequences—damaged relationships, financial issues, arrest, etc.
Take Our Free Assessment
If you or your loved one may be suffering with sexual addiction, click on the link to take our free an anonymous Sex and Porn addiction Self-test.
Sexual Recovery is Possible through Reconnecting with Yourself.
It takes courage to be accountable for the harm caused by sex addiction and to be intentional about seeking change. With the right support from a Certified Behaviour and Addictions Therapist, sexual recovery is possible.
The intention for therapy is to cultivate and maintain a life of recovery. In simpler terms living a life of recovery means, reclaiming parts of yourself, reconnecting with who you are through the development of new, health habits. Rekindling a connection with yourself creates a gateway to connect with others around you.
In addition to working with a Sex and Relationship therapist like myself, sex/love addiction most successfully complimented with wrap-around support through sex addicts anonymous support group, group therapy, couples and marriage counselling, psycho-education, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and in some instances in-patient treatment.
Click the button below to connect for a 20-minute consultation.