SExual addiction, like any other form of addiction, has got a lot to do with a person’s mental health more than anything else. However, unlike addictions like tobacco and alcohol, sexual addiction can lead to several problems if not treated in time. From straining relationships to leading to severe errors of judgement, sexual addiction is a challenge both for people who suffer from it, as well as people around the one who has it.
Sexual addiction as one might have heard or as one might perceive is not a social disorder. Instead, it is a sexually motivated behaviour, which also has a compulsive nature to it, acted out regardless of any possible negative consequences that might have on the sufferer’s life. Sexual addiction is a disease affecting both genders, but is predominantly associated with men, but as perceived commonly not solely with them.
Sexual addiction in men has been present since forever, but this has been only considered a severe mental health concerns since the 1980s. The big problem with it is that not many people are willing to come out and seek treatment, as it could go on to hamper their sexual, daily and social lives to a great extent.
What is sexual addiction?
Sexual addiction is a form of obsessive-compulsive behavior and one which could go on to dominate a person’s life. Around 8% of the total population suffers from it. This behaviour has a pattern to it, which is characterised by the increased, repeated sexual conduct that tends to become uncontrollable, despite the person’s best intentions and efforts to stop this behaviour. Sexual addiction acts to fulfil one’s intense sexual thoughts or fantasies that all too common, which creates havoc in their friends’ circle, family matters as well as affecting work, as its known to make the person prioritise it more than anything else. Often many sufferers go through a tumultuous time with it considering it causes a loss of intimate relationships, affects their family, friends as well as their careers.
Sexual addiction does not have an actual cause to blame, but more due to possible psychological trauma, like a history of sexual abuse, bad parenting or a general infatuation with the idea of sex in general, which gets them addicted to it. Many patients also use this behaviour as a form of stress management or a possible way to cope with emotional pain or mental trauma. There has been significant research done on this subject, which goes on to suggest that sufferers obtain a ‘high’ which a person might obtain due to the release of chemicals like dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin, which are common during sex. These are very much similar to the ‘high’ obtained during the use of alcohol or drugs, all of which leads a person to a behaviour pattern that’s addictive, especially in those who have a propensity of addiction.
Some of the common behavioural patterns noticed in men suffering from sexual addiction. These symptoms are some of the noticeable ones we have seen so far, but understand that patients are not always compelled to commit an act of infidelity or a sex offence. Although there have been cases, rare ones involving rape or molestation acts by a person suffering from sexual addiction.
- Compulsive self-stimulation (masturbation)
- Anonymous or multiple sexual partners
- Constant use of pornography
- Unsafe sex
- Cybersex
- Use of prostitutes
- Numerous affairs
- Exhibitionism
- Watching others or stalking
- Typically attracted to anything remotely arousing
- Sexual harassment
- Molestation or rape
Treatment for Sexual addiction in men
At Dr Srinivas Madhavaram’s Clinic, the first line of the procedure to treat a patient with sexual addiction is to understand the problem from its depth with a thorough diagnosis of the problem and then to follow following methods of treatments.
There is a complete psychiatric evaluation of the problem and the basis of the diagnosis of hypersexuality, which addresses the various symptoms and consequences of the sexual addiction which is a form of OCSB.
The problem of sexual addiction in men is connected to various other issues that might have an underlying effect to help the main issue surface and become a compulsive issue of sorts. It is essential to treat these symptoms and then go to the main problem. The first and most important aspect of managing someone with a sexual addiction is to understand the behaviour and how much harm it could cause the sufferer.
Consult with us, if any of those symptoms as mentioned earlier could be related to anyone’s behaviour around you, in your family or spouse. Dr Srinivas Madhavaram is a unique professional who treats men with a sexual addiction problem with the use of internal medicine and a thorough psychiatric evaluation. He is also one of the best internal medicine doctor specialising in solving various sexual problems in patients.