Is SEX ADDICTION an actual thing, or is it an excuse for bad behavior?

1. 89

   Deborah Demanderposted 7 years ago

   Is SEX ADDICTION an actual thing, or is it an excuse for bad behavior?
   
   Given Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne's very pubic relationship crises, and his claim that he is in treatment for sex addiction, do you believe that sex addiction is an actual disorder, or is it an excuse for bad behavior? What would be the characteristics of sex addiction, if it were an actual addiction? What would be the treatment for such an addiction?
   
   

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2. 79

   dashingscorpioposted 7 years ago

   
   
   I believe one has to first define "addiction".
   One such definition I saw was "the fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance, thing, or activity." However using the word in a definition doesn't really clarify things in my opinion.
   If someone engages in any activity to the point of risking losing their job, friends, family, and marriage but continues to impulsively pursue it despite the dire consequences clearly that's a sign of addiction in my opinion.
   For example klopemania is described as the inability to refrain from the {urge} to steal items and is done for reasons other than personal use or financial gain.
   There have reports of people having a "food addiction" whereby they think about food during every waking hour of the day. Some of these folks are bed ridden because they literary can't stand up or move around. Despite their medical condition of diabetes, clogged arteries, high blood pressure and a host of issues including the warning of shortening their life they continue to eat mass quantities of foods.
   If it's possible to be addicted to eating I can't see why it wouldn't be possible to be addicted to other things that gives one pleasure including gambling, sex, watching porn, shopping, and just about anything that preoccupies one's mind and keeps them from taking care of their daily responsibilities.
   I saw episode on Oprah many years ago about a housewife who couldn't stop shopping behind her husband's back. She hid her purchases and since she handled the bills her husband had no idea how much debt they were in until things started getting repossessed and she couldn't make all the minimum payments.
   Whether we call it lack of impulse control or addition it's real.
   The problem with the perception of "sex addition" is the belief that it is often used as an "excuse" for behavior many people consider immoral. There is no drug or chemical to point to only impulse.
   Not everyone who claims to have a sexual addiction is having sex multiple times a day with numerous different people, participating in orgies, visiting strip clubs during their lunch hour, watching pornhub at work, paying for sex and engaging in such activities at the risk of withdrawing from all of their relationships drifting into a downward spiral always looking for their next lay. That's real addiction!
   Having said that I do believe there are {some people} who are in fact sex addicts. Sex preoccupies their minds 24/7.

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      Ericdierkerposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      That constant focus on and lack of control over anything is just plain horrible. Certainly someone can find themselves in this condition. An interesting concept is that the "cure" is basically the same as for a heroin addict. Docs and drugs only help

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