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What is Sex Addiction? Is it a real thing?

Writer's picture: Yin-Yee YipYin-Yee Yip


Sex addiction is not an identified disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5 published in 2013) which is a North American standard that classifies mental disorders. It does however earn mention in the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (published 2019) in the category of "Impulse Control Disorders" as a "Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder". Here's a link with more information: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5775124/.



All of the psychology aside, some individuals find it helpful to have an umbrella term to capture their struggle with their sexual behaviour and find that it meets the four C's of addiction:

Compulsion - an irresistible or uncontrollable urge to engage in the behaviour

Craving - a psychological/physiological desire to engage in the behaviour

Consequences - an inability to curb/stop/abstain from the behaviour despite negative consequences in an individual's physical, social, emotional, spiritual, professional, personal life

Control - a complete loss of any ability to manage the behaviour



Behaviour that would fall under the umbrella of sex addiction would including watching pornography, masturbation, paying for the services of an escort, prostitute, stripper, cam viewing/chat, using dating apps, messaging multiple people at the same time, sexting, infidelity, having multiple relationships at the same time, etc. This is not to sexually shame anyone for engaging in any of these behaviours, but do you identify that engaging in any of these behaviours, meet the criteria of at least one, more than one, or all of the C's listed above, and would you like to stop.


Human beings are social creatures and are meant to engage with others in meaningful dialogue, connection, physical touch, and intimacy. The advent of the internet has led to increasing disconnection and accessibility to material that is stimulating visually, and curated to be performative rather than realistic. Online/superficial/casual encounters are one-dimensional, and disregard the engagement of multiple facets that encompass the human experience. This is not a judgement about less traditional or conformist expressions of sexuality, but to offer an invitation to consider if the engagement in a particular or several sexual behaviours has led further away from a deeper connection and opportunities to

be emotionally vulnerable and intimate in relationship to others. If you believe that this describes your experience and are willing to be curious about talking this through, I'd love to connect with you in a session to explore this further.


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Please reach out if you have any questions or are interested in exploring the possibility of working together.

Yin-Yee Yip CD MA CMAT CPTT SEP

Registered Clinical Counsellor

Plum Blossom Counselling Inc. 

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Victoria, BC, Canada

plumblossomcounselling@gmail.com

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