Could You Have a Sex Addiction? What to Know If You Can’t Stop Thinking About Sex
Key takeaways:
Sex addiction occurs when someone becomes consumed with thoughts of sex and feels a strong desire to have sex often, even though the behavior causes distress and problems in their life.
Although the condition is not formally recognized as a mental health diagnosis, sex addiction is seen by some professionals as an issue that can negatively affect your mental, physical, and social health.
Treatment for sex addiction may be uncomfortable or challenging, but finding a healthy balance of sex in your life is possible with professional care.
Table of contents
For many people, sex is a positive part of their lives. It is something that they look forward to and enjoy. However, you (or someone you know) may be experiencing issues related to sex and sexuality. In some cases, it may feel like thinking about or having sex takes up so much of your time that it causes problems in your life and impacts your daily functioning.
If you think you or someone you know may be experiencing sex addiction, here’s more about the condition and how to get help.
What is sex addiction?
Sex addiction, or compulsive sexual behavior disorder, is a pattern of intense sexual impulses or urges. These urges are persistent and hard to control, and they result in repeated sexual behaviors. The behaviors, in turn, cause stress and may negatively affect your:
Relationships
Work
School
Home life
Like many other conditions, sex addiction will look very different depending on the person and their situation. One person may be having sex and masturbating compulsively or pressuring others to have sex. Another person could experience intrusive thoughts that are hard to control.
It’s also important to understand that a range of healthy sexual behavior exists. Having a high level of sexual interest and behavior is not necessarily an addiction. As long as it does not result in distress and an inability to function well, it is likely not a sex addiction.
Is sex addiction real?
There is a lot of uncertainty about sex addiction. And while many professionals believe it’s real, it depends on who you ask. Sex addiction is not currently listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR). The DSM-5-TR is the official book of mental health conditions maintained by the American Psychiatric Association (APA).
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Before the recent revision of the DSM in 2022, the APA was considering adding hypersexual disorder as a recognized condition. But the APA decided against adding it, at least for now.
On the other hand, the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) did include compulsive sexual behavior disorder in the ICD-11 revision. The ICD is a list of health problems maintained by the World Health Organization (WHO). Compulsive sexual behavior disorder is listed as an impulse control disorder.
Offering another opinion is the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT). This group takes the position that sex addiction should not be classified as a mental health disorder. They believe there is not enough clear evidence to support its classification as an actual condition yet.
How common is sex addiction?
Even though sex addiction isn’t formally recognized in the U.S., researchers have studied the prevalence of sexual dysfunction. The results of the studies vary. Most of the studies concluded that between 2% and 6% of the population deals with compulsive sexual behavior. That number is typically higher with men than women.
Surveys that rely on people to self-report their symptoms have concluded that around 5% of the population may experience signs of sex addiction. These surveys involved criteria similar to those used to diagnose substance use disorders.
What are the signs and symptoms of sex addiction?
With the range of acceptable sexual behaviors, you can’t identify a sex addiction based on how much sex someone has or how much time they spend thinking about sex. Generally, a behavior becomes an addiction when it begins to interfere with different areas of a person’s life.
With this in mind, potential signs of sex addiction include:
An intense focus on sex that leads a person to neglect other aspects of their life
Difficulty controlling sexual urges and behaviors
Sexual urges and behaviors that cause distress or negatively affect the person’s personal, social, professional, or educational pursuits
Difficulty controlling or stopping sexual behavior even though it has a negative effect on their life
Increased interest in or time spent doing things like watching pornography and masturbation
Feelings of depression, loneliness, or anxiety
Feelings of distress about sexual urges and behaviors
To qualify for a diagnosis, these symptoms need to have been present for at least 6 months and can’t be explained by another mental health condition.
What are the causes of sex addiction?
No one can say with certainty how sex addiction develops. But like other substance use disorders and mental health conditions, it’s likely a combination of factors. This could include your genetics and family history as well as factors in your environment.
Experts also know that sex is a naturally rewarding behavior. When you have sex, your body reinforces the act by releasing desirable brain chemicals like dopamine. Dopamine is also released when you use addictive substances like cocaine. As with other rewarding behaviors, like eating food and using substances, your brain works to encourage repetition of the behavior so you keep getting the same rewards.
Risk factors for sex addiction
There’s not a lot of research about what leads to sex addiction specifically. But we do know that people who have any other type of substance use disorder or impulse control disorder may be at a higher risk of developing sex addiction. Also, a history of sexual abuse is a major risk factor for compulsive sexual behavior.
Some risk factors for sex addiction could also be similar to other addictions. These risk factors can include:
Having a parent with an addiction
Having other mental health conditions
Seeking out high-sensation activities
Having limited emotion regulation skills
Experiencing adverse childhood experiences, like parental divorce, abuse, or neglect
Having unhealthy behaviors modeled by parents or caregivers
How does sex addiction affect relationships?
Whether the addiction is to a substance or to a behavior, addictions tend to harm relationships. Relationships require a lot of effort to maintain. So when you have an addiction, the other parts of your life lose attention and energy.
Sex addiction may also lead to pornography addictions, affairs, or other sexual issues. As a result, people dealing with compulsive sexual behavior and their partners may experience:
An unhealthy view of what sex and relationships should look like
Difficulty with intimacy and forming personal connections
Secrecy or a lack of trust within relationships
Increased risk of separation or divorce
Sometimes, the relationship can improve as the person recovers from sex addiction. Other times, there is no way to maintain the relationship after the shock, disappointment, and betrayal that often accompanies addiction.
How do you treat sex addiction?
Mental health professionals like counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists can treat all addictions. But sex addictions can be complicated. Support groups and psychotherapy are two effective ways to address and treat sex addictions.
Therapists may use different types of therapy to manage a sex addiction, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT can help you:
Identify triggers of sexual behavior
Reframe thinking problems that lead to sexual activity
Prevent relapse after recovery
CBT and other therapies may also help you cope with shame, low self-esteem, and anger. And they can help address other mental health conditions that may accompany sex addiction such as:
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Personality disorders
Bipolar disorder
Impulse control disorders
Support groups — like those modeled after the 12-step programs of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) — can offer you a supportive network of people experiencing similar struggles. Support group options include:
There are no medications specifically prescribed for sex addiction. But antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and other medications could be helpful. Medications can help manage any related symptoms you may be experiencing, like depression or anxiety. Some medications can also help address impulsive behaviors. You can speak with your healthcare provider about whether medications could help improve your symptoms.
The bottom line
Though sex addiction is not an officially recognized condition, compulsive sexual behavior can still have a negative impact on your life. Those with a sex addiction may spend so much time thinking about or having sex that it gets in the way of their relationships, work, and school. If you are concerned about your sexual behaviors, reach out to a mental health professional. They can help you understand what’s going on and offer treatment options like therapy and medication.
Why trust our experts?
References
American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists. (n.d.). AASECT position on sex addiction.
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). About DSM-5-TR.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).
Derbyshire, K. L., et al. (2015). Compulsive sexual behavior: A review of the literature. Journal of Behavioral Addictions.
Fong, T. W. (2006). Understanding and managing compulsive sexual behaviors. Psychiatry.
Grant, J. E. et al. (2011). Introduction to behavioral addictions. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse.
ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics. (2023). 6C72 compulsive sexual behaviour disorder.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2020). Drugs and the brain. Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction.
Potenza, M. N., et al. (2017). Is excessive sexual behaviour an addictive disorder? The Lancet Psychiatry.
Youth.gov. (n.d.). Risk and protective factors.
If you or someone you know struggles with addiction, help is available. Call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 to learn about resources in your area.
