Addiction today is multifarious. From alcohol, drugs, phone screens, pornography, and masturbation to sex, overdoing anything can get you hooked. Addiction begins as a pleasurable experience but soon enslaves a person and refuses to let go. In today’s article, our focus is on a highly underrated, hushed mental health issue in India—what is sex addiction, its causes, and how to tackle it effectively?

Sexual addiction essentially means having persistent, obsessive sexual fantasies and thoughts and doing a lot of sexual things without control that can make one feel horrible and ruin their relationships and social lives. Sexual addiction, hypersexuality, sexual compulsivity, and sexual impulsivity are among the names used to describe this mental health disorder.

Until recently, little was known about the biological, psychological, and social factors that contribute to this illness. However, significant research today shows that this novel mental health disease can cause major medical and psychological difficulties.

The exact cause of sex addiction is unclear. It can happen to both men and women. Here is a quick overview of the causes:

• An imbalance of brain chemicals that give you a sense of satisfaction (neurotransmitters including serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine) might increase sexual desire and behaviour.

• Certain medical illnesses, such as dementia or Parkinson's disease drugs, can contribute to compulsive sexual behaviour.

• The availability of explicit sexual content via technology and social media facilitates access.

• The fact that obsessive sexual practices are secret and private can intensify the problem. They frequently go unnoticed and unreported for years.

• Alcohol or drug problems, other mental health conditions (depression, anxiety, gambling addiction), family tensions, or a history of abuse substantially raise the risk of sex addiction in adulthood.

Despite this, sex addiction has effective treatment options and rehabilitation facilities.

Sex addiction is often an umbrella term for many other compulsive and dangerous sexual thoughts and actions, such as:

• Compulsive masturbation
• Obsession with dating and relationships
• Tendency to try odd sexual acts
• Exploring sexual activities online
• Inclination towards multiple sexual partners

You or a loved one may be having a sex addiction. Sometimes, knowing what causes sex addiction alone is not enough. The social stigma and taboo associated with sex and its related aspects in India often make it difficult to diagnose sex addiction.

Here is a list of a few signs of sex addiction that you must look out for:

• Frequent, uncontrollable sexual fantasies, cravings, and behaviors that keep you occupied.
• Sexual thoughts and activities that take over your daily life and appear uncontrollable
• Driven to indulge in sexual behaviours, feeling both relief and guilt or regret.
• Feeling motivated to act out sexually, gaining temporary relief, but then suffering negative emotions.
• Attempts to minimize or control sexual fantasies and activities that fail
• Despite numerous attempts, you are unable to recover control of your sexual instincts.
• Using sexual behaviour to avoid emotional concerns such as loneliness, despair, anxiety, or stress
• Using sex as a coping method for emotional difficulties
• Continuing to engage in sexual behaviours in the face of significant repercussions
• Persisting in sexual behaviour despite the risk of STIs, broken relationships, work troubles, financial problems, or legal problems
• It is difficult to build and maintain healthy, stable relationships.
• Having difficulty establishing and maintaining meaningful relationships with people.

Sex addiction can be draining. Your self-worth, relationships with others, career, well-being, and those around you may all suffer if you do not get help for your compulsive sexual behaviour. However, you can learn to manage and enhance your sexual behaviour through therapy and personal efforts.

Treatment:

• Private or group therapy with a skilled therapist to address underlying issues and establish healthier coping systems
• Medication: Medication may be recommended to treat obsessive behaviors or underlying mental health issues.
• Couples therapy helps couples handle trust and communication concerns.
• Learning about healthy sexuality and relationships through education. You can also create ways to avoid potentially upsetting situations and have a solid network of friends and family for support
• Mindfulness and meditation are methods for increasing self-awareness and impulse control.
• Adopting a balanced, planned schedule to decrease episodes can help. This covers diet and exercise regimen planning.

Welcome to the Jagruti Rehabilitation Centre, run by renowned psychiatrist Dr. Amar Shinde. Jagruti's specialized facilities have spread from Pune to towns across the country. We acknowledge the close relationship between treating addiction and mental health. Our services provide individualized mental health treatment for conditions like addiction, abuse, bipolar disorder, depression, and schizophrenia.

We treat sex addiction as a physiological and mental health issue, with customized therapies and family support to ensure long-term recovery. Contact us for a consultation and take the first step towards a better life.