Studies show that 3% to 6% of Americans are estimated to suffer from some form of sexual addiction.

And like any other addiction, it can wreak havoc on your life and your relationships. Many find that they can’t mitigate symptoms on their own, and must consult a professional to help navigate the murky waters of this addiction.

In this article, we’ll be talking about the signs of sex addiction. If you believe you might suffer from it, this article can help you deduce whether or not you need to seek professional help.

Read on for some of the top signs of sex addiction.

1. You’re Preoccupied with Sex

Humans generally like to think about sex. For some people, they may even think about it a lot during the day. This can be perfectly normal.

However, where it begins to become a problem is when you’re not only thinking about sex during the day but cannot perform other tasks because of it. If your thoughts about sex have become all-consuming, as in you can’t complete daily tasks due to your thoughts, this is a problem.

2. You Engage in Addictive Behavior

If you’re addicted to sex, you’ll engage in addictive behavior that isn’t necessarily healthy for you or your sexual partners.

You may become addicted to porn as an outlet for your sex addiction.

If that’s the case, you’ll find that you have to watch porn on most days in order to get through the day. You will find that it is a compulsion and something you can’t stop doing, even if you want to.

In this way, it is similar to other addictions, and there are similar issues in recovery.

Your addiction to sex may also manifest in other ways. For example, some people are obsessed with masturbation, which may also be tied to an addiction to porn.

They may be unable to go a day, or even a few hours, without masturbating. It may become compulsive, and something you cannot quit.

Additionally, you may also be addicted to seeing sex workers. You may pay for sex often, or pay for things like watching strippers or lap dances. While many people do see sex workers or strippers, if you’re addicted to sex, you’ll go quite often.

3. You Have Intense Mood Swings Before and After Sex

Individuals who struggle with addiction or issues around a certain vice, such as food or alcohol, will also experience the same feelings in sex addiction.

For example, those who are addicted to sex may feel incredibly excited to engage in sexual behavior before it happens. Once they finish, they may feel upset, ashamed or angry at themselves.

If you’re addicted to sex, you may notice a very similar pattern happening for yourself.

4. You Miss Out on Activities to Have Sex or Watch Porn

If you’re addicted to sex, you might miss out on activities to engage in sexual behavior.

This can include missing family activities or activities at work because you’d rather be having sex or pursuing someone sexually.

5. You See People as Objects

Those who have sex addictions may begin to see people as objects to fulfill their desires, not as people with entire beings and personalities.

As a result, they may feel little or no connection to people they have sex with and just want to “get off” with them. This can lead to people feeling used or cheated.

If you’re addicted to sex, you may also frequently cheat on your spouse or partner with other people. This usually arises from the innate need to have sex immediately, even when your partner isn’t available.

You may also want more sex than your partner is willing or able to provide, which can lead to you cheating on your partner or seeing other people behind their backs. This is often done without regard to anyone’s feelings but your own.

6. You Need More Adventure in Order to Become Aroused

People who are addicts of any nature will gradually need more and more of their addiction to feel satisfied. That means those who are addicted to sex will not only need more sex to feel satisfied but increasingly “bigger and better” sex.

This can take many forms for many different people.

Some people may want to begin to experiment with group sex because sex with one person is no longer enough. Others may want to play out S&M or bondage fantasies or may become increasingly violent with their partner in order to fulfill their desires.

This can, of course, lead to danger.

7. You Feel You Can’t Manage Your Addiction on Your Own

If you can’t abstain from sex or feel that it’s impossible, you may want to consider sex addiction treatment. This can be the very first step in helping you begin to have a new life apart from your sex addiction.

If you’re addicted to sex, you may tell yourself that you can abstain any time you want to. But the reality is much different, and typically, you’ll be unable to do so without help. But, be aware that help does exist, and is available for you.

The Ultimate Signs of Sex Addiction

Seeking treatment for sex addiction can be daunting.

But, it is important that you recognize the signs of sex addiction in order to ensure that you get the proper treatment you need to live a healthy and normal life.

For more tips on staying healthy in your life, both mentally and physically, visit the health and fitness section on our website. It’ll offer you a wealth of incredibly useful advice!