Is sex on your mind 24/7? It may be an addiction...
Celebrity Sex Addicts
• Michael Douglas (actor): He was labeled as a “sex addict” by his ex-wife in 1990. He confessed his habit later.
• Charlie Sheen (actor and comedian): He is said to have slept with more than 5000 women.
• Britney Spears (actor and singer): Her sex dependency is said to be her reason for the divorce. She is believed to practice it in order to rebel against her mother.
• Kayne West (American rapper, producer and singer): He is known to carry porn in his briefcase, just in case.
According to Dr Patrick Carnes, the director of the sexual disorder services at The Meadows in Arizona, the people get addicted to sex in the same way they may get addicted to drugs or alcohol.
On the other hand, Mavis Humes Baird, a well known addictions treatment specialist, says, "The habit is not too serious to be considered as a mental disorder since it is not included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) yet."
Carnes explains that sexual addiction can never be cured. The addicts need to be taught how to live life “one-day-at-a-time”.
Studies show that usually men suffer from this problem. Out of 20 people, one person suffers from sexual addiction. At biochemical level, release of dopamine is increased during the compulsion phase. Increased release of the same chemical is observed in drug and alcohol addiction.
Problems Due to the Addiction
• According to Carnes, sexual addiction can lead to job loss, financial disasters , divorce and may even put one`s life at risk.
• The act is often done out of compulsion followed by guilt. It may seriously disturb mental health of the addict.
You May be a Sex Addict if:
• You constantly think about sexual acts.
• The activity puts you at risk of getting arrested.
• The activity takes away your time and energy to perform your day-to-day responsibilities.
• You have committed adultery and later feel guilty.
• Often buy sex-related magazines, porn and indulge in internet and phone sex.
• You masturbate more than 10 times in a day.
Misquote
Hi MedGuru
Congrats for blogging about this important subject!
Sadly, I do not know your source, but you have misquoted me here. In fact, I am a certified sex addiction therapist-supervisor, have worked with many sex addicts, and have trained extensively with Dr. Patrick Carnes, so I definitely believe that sex addiction is a mental disorder. Thank you for your blog.
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