When it comes to sex addiction, I'm guilty ... of rolling my eyes every time another celebrity uses it as a defense when he gets caught having an affair:
Boo-hoo, woe is me, I couldn't stop myself! I'm ... a sex addict!
Sure y'are, buddy. Everybody totally buys that excuse.
But it's not really fair for me (or anybody) to dismiss sex addiction as a made-up adultery Get Out of Jail Free card.
Especially considering that the condition is usually caused by an underlying disorder -- and it's tough to treat one without treating the other.
These are just a few of the mental illnesses linked to sex addiction:
Bipolar Disorder High-risk sexual activity can be symptomatic of manic states.
Borderline Personality Disorder Unsafe sex can be "part of a pattern" of self-harming behavior.
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Sometimes seen in survivors of childhood sexual abuse, compulsive sexual behavior in these cases is a "subconscious attempt to gain control over their childhood trauma."
Dependent Personality Disorder Also known as "love addiction" (which I personally never heard about before Rachel Uchitel went on Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew), love addicts apparently use sex to get "love."
Aspergers Syndrome "Out-of-control" sexual behavior is a common problem for men with Aspergers.
Have you ever known anyone with a sex addiction? Can you make any connections between these conditions and that person?
Do you think sex addiction is a form of mental illness?
Image via thien-kim/Flickr
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Comments 13
I was a sexually asssualted child. I have PTSD. And i have a sexual addiction. I has calmed down since I became a mother, but I am not surprised to hear these may be connected.
Oh and the definition of addiction is something which interferes with your everyday life. I could not function if I did not have sex every couple of days, so yes I believe sex can be an addiction.