Sex Addict Signs

1) Masterbates often, whether having regular sex or not. They will risk masterbating where they can get caught because the release is more important than the risk — The person habitually masturbates
2) Purchases or views an excessive amount of porn
3) Hides money for use on the addiction
4) Has an excessive need for affirmation from the opposite sex
5) Has a continuos need for interaction with the opposite sex
6) In almost all conversations there is some sort of sexual connotation
7) Thinks the sexual connotations are funny or makes them look good, calls attention to themselves
8) Generally a needy person
9) No patience
10) Often irrational or irrational behavior, often also has signs or is diagnosed with bi-ploar
11) Preoccupation with sex, every thing revolves around sex in the mind, actions, words etc.
12) Sex dominates an individual’s life to the exclusion of other activities.
13) The individual engages in phone sex, computer sex, use of prostitutes, pornography, or exhibitionism.
14) The individual has multiple sexual partners or cheats on partners. Partners can also be sex chat, telephone sex, cyber sex, in writing or verbal.

15) Eventually leads to risk taking: such as: chats with underage girls, attempts to seek under age partners through chat, video, cam or more.
16) In extreme cases, the person engages in criminal activities, including stalking, rape, incest, or child molestation.

Addiction to sexual activities can be just as destructive as addiction to chemical substances. Addicts may jeopardize their marriage and family relationships, allow their job performance to deteriorate, and endanger themselves and their partner through multiple sexual exposures. Even though they realize the consequences, they cannot control their compulsions without appropriate treatment. For most people, sex enhances the quality of life. However, about 3% to 6% of Americans have sexual addiction. Through their addiction, they may injure themselves physically, experience psychological distress, lose their livelihood, and ruin meaningful relationships. These individuals not only endanger themselves but also put their loved ones at risk.

Criteria for chemical dependency

1) Substance often taken in larger amounts or for a longer period than intended (control)
Persistent desire for the substance or one or more unsuccessful efforts to reduce or control substance use (control)
2) Much time spent in obtaining the substance, taking it, or recovering from its effects (preoccupation)
3) Frequent intoxication (in a sex addict this would be sexual jokes, connotations, etc) when expected to fulfill major obligations at work, school, or home or recurrent use in physically hazardous situations (negativeconsequences)
4) Abandonment or restriction of important social, occupational, or recreational activities because of substance use (negative consequences) (in the sex addict they will abandon family interaction and activities, no longer wanting to do the things that used to invoice spouse and kids)
5) Continued substance (in a sex addicts case this means sex, masterbation and porn included) use despite a persistent or recurrent social, psychological, or physical problem that is caused or exacerbated by use of the substance (negative consequences)
6) Need for markedly increased amounts of the substance to achieve the desired effect, or markedly diminished effect with continued use of same amount (tolerance)
7) Presence of characteristic withdrawal symptoms (withdrawal)
8) Use of the substance to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms(withdrawal)
At least three criteria must be met for diagnosis, and some symptoms of the disturbance must have persisted for at least 1 month or have occurred repeatedly over a longer period.
Adapted from American Psychiatric Association(3)