Sex addiction

[pie-eater 207]

All these celebs going into rehab for "sex addiction".

Makes me laugh every time, thelatest being Sandra Bullocks hubby.

Surely it's a load of old utter nonsense.

They like shagging, have tons of chances to get it real easy, and do.

 

 

Am I right?

[pie-eater 207]

Quote:

Sexual addiction refers to the phenomenon in which individuals report being unable to manage their sexual behavior. It has also been called "sexual dependency," and "sexual compulsivity." The existence of the condition is not universally accepted by sexologists and its etiology, nature, and validity have been debated.

Cool job name, sexologists!
"What do you do?"
"I'm a sexologist!"
"Cool!"

[Tubby Beaver 209]

unlucky buggers.....sure wouldn't want to be them

[inned muppet 0]

I was just thinking that.

[grungy-gonads 54]

Quote:

Sex addiction seems to be popping up all over.

Actor David Duchovny checked into a rehab facility for sexual addiction in August -- just before the new season of his randy TV series "Californication." In her new book, "Desire: When Sex Meets Addiction," Susan Cheever recounts having sex with men she barely knew at times of stress: "Moving men, doctors, lawyers, book salesmen -- any man associated with a threatening change in my life became erotically charged, with predictable results."

But is sex addiction a real disease, or just an excuse for behaving badly? How much is too much? When does preoccupation cross the line into pathology?

The psychotherapy community has been wrestling with such questions for years.

One camp thinks the very notion of "sex addiction" implies a narrow, moralistic view of what's acceptable. "There are millions of people stuck in unhappy relationships who go to massage parlors or the Internet and to demonize their sexuality is terribly unfair," says Marty Klein, a licensed marriage and family therapist and certified sex therapist in Palo Alto, Calif. He says people who are unhappy with their sexual choices may be depressed or bipolar or need to face the fact that their relationships have failed, but the problem isn't necessarily sex.

Sex addiction was listed in the official "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders III" in 1980, then dropped from the fourth edition in 1994, amid a wave of sentiment that only substances, not behavior, could be addictive. A task force is considering restoring it to the DSM V, but it could be a long debate.

The notion of sex addiction dates back to the '70s, when psychologist Patrick Carnes saw parallels with compulsive gambling: Addicts can't control their behavior, continue despite negative consequences and spend excessive amounts of time pursuing the behavior.

"It's not about hormones or being horny. It's about using the excitement of sexual interaction to induce the neurochemical high that all addicts seek," says Robert Weiss, head of sexual addiction programming at the Life Healing Center in Sante Fe, N.M.

"You need to ask yourself: Is this a secret? Are you spending money on it you don't have? How does it affect your job or your marriage? What would happen if you were caught?" says Robin Cato, executive director of the Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health, an Atlanta group for professional therapists.

There are no definitive numbers, but SASH estimates that 3% to 5% of Americans engage in what could be considered sexually compulsive behavior -- and that it has ballooned in recent years because the Internet has made sex of all kinds accessible, affordable and anonymous. "In 1985, if I wanted to watch porn, I had to get in my car and go to a video store," says Mr. Weiss. "Now I can download it to my iPod."

Therapists say addicts are frequently narcissists -- that is, they constantly seek external validation because they are unable to generate their own feelings of self-worth. They may seem egotistical, but they are emotionally empty and crave quick ego boosts -- "like eating potato chips when you're hungry," says Mr. Weiss. Real emotional intimacy may be frightening. "It's scarier to be emotionally vulnerable with your spouse than it is to go downtown at 3 a.m. and pick up a hooker. She can't hurt you if you don't care about her," he says.

Plenty of people have unmet emotional needs -- why do only some turn to sexual compulsions? Addiction therapists say many of those who do were neglected or abused, or exposed to illicit images as children. And needy people engage in all kinds of other compulsive behaviors -- including workaholism and eating disorders, says Eric Griffin-Shelley, a psychologist in Lafayette Hill, Pa.

Men with sexual compulsive behaviors outnumber women about 5 to 1, and the numbers are reversed with eating disorders, according to Mr. Weiss. And women are more likely to be addicted to love than sex. "I know of women who'll meet a guy and immediately wonder what color hair their kids will have," says Dr. Griffin-Shelley.

Treatment for sex addiction has grown rapidly in recent years. Many therapists prescribe antidepressants, which can ease feelings of worthlessness and can damp sex drives. Inpatient programs (about a dozen in the U.S. specialize in sex addiction) and outpatient therapists often work with 12-step programs specifically for sex addicts. (Therapists say it's rare for attendees to use such meetings for quick hookups -- scenes from "Nip/Tuck," "Blades of Glory" and "Choke" notwithstanding.)

[Yuki's Passion 1]

So, like other "addicts" if they have sex again do they have to start from day 1 all over again??

[Mantas 3]

"Hi. My name is Mantas and I'm a sex addict. It's been 6 months since my last shag."

[griller 9]

I wonder what the start down the long dark road to addiction is?

[Go Native 70]

Originally Posted By: Mantas

It's been 6 months since my last shag."

Ah so you're married as well?

[grungy-gonads 54]

Doesn't sound like something to want to get cured for.

[RobBright 35]

Originally Posted By: griller

I wonder what the start down the long dark road to addiction is?

like all things in life, women

[gareth_oau 2]

article in this morning's paper suggesting that there is a higher risk of throat cancer through oral sex

 

are they trying to kill off that form of entertainment entirely???????

[Tubby Beaver 209]

there's a higher risk of cancer by going outside but it doesn't stop us doing it! Carry on with peace of mind Gareth!

[Go Native 70]

Just learn to suppress your gag reflex gareth, it helps a lot

[gareth_oau 2]

funny thing is, the article was about guys getting the cancer too