Getting Assistance For A Sex Addiction
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is the ultimate reference guide for psychologists regarding mental health issues. Every year a committee sets out to update and make corrections to the manual. This year, the hot topic of debate was whether or not sex addiction should be included in the new edition of the manual. While many argued that sex addiction is a very real threat that damages the lives of many people, the majority of the committee disagreed. In the end, they decided not to include sex addiction in the new edition of the reference guide. However, that does not mean that sex addiction is not a real problem facing many people in our country. it is important however that those who need help get it, there may not be a detox rehabilitation, but there are counselors.
Definition
One of the newest terms in psychology is hypersexuality. This term is used to describe an individual that is addicted to sex, and compulsively seeks out sexual pleasure. In order for a person to be defined as hypersexual, there are a few different criteria they must meet. The first is that the person must spend an excessive amount of time consumed by sexual fantasies and urges, and planning for and engaging in said behaviors. The second characteristic of sex addiction is when a person continually engages in their sexual fantasies or urges because they have feelings of depression, anxiety, boredom or irritability.
Medical Community
Many psychiatrists do not think that sex addiction is a real thing, and that some in the medical community are making it up to sell expensive treatment plans to people who don’t really need them. However, when an individual repeatedly engages in risky sexual behavior with complete disregard for their health or emotional well-being, and cannot seem to help themselves from stopping, the debate becomes a little more complicated.
Comparisons
Scientists still can’t agree on what those chemicals are. It is very easy to look at the brain of someone who is addicted to heroin or opiates and see that something is wrong. They will display very serious physical symptoms if they do not get the drug they are addicted to and will begin to go through withdrawal. It is unclear if the same can be said for people who claim to have addictions to sex. Certainly, there are elements to an individual suffering from a sex addiction that are chemically different from those that do not.
Rising Numbers
The increasing sexual awareness of our society may have played a role in people thinking that they have developed addictions to sex. For example, television shows and movies portray casual sex much more than they ever did in the past. However, this does fully explain why so many new people are coming forward claiming to be hypersexual. The National Council on Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity defines sexual addiction as “engaging in persistent and escalating patterns of sexual behavior acted out despite increasing negative consequences to self and others.” Basically, a sex addict will continue to take part in certain sexual behaviors despite facing potential health risks, financial problems, shattered relationships or even arrest.
Sex addiction is a very real problem facing many people in our country every year. While the medical community continues to argue over whether or not it should be classified as a mental disorder, many more people are coming forward saying that they need help to get over their addictions. If you or someone you know is exhibiting any of the behaviors that have been defined, you should consider seeking medical counseling to determine if you need to take any steps to get over your sex abuse, there’s no detox-rehab center, but help is out there.