Addictions come in many forms. There are those that struggle with drugs, those that struggle with gambling, those that struggle with alcohol. But one type of addiction that rarely gets discussed is an addiction that few understand – sex addiction.

Sex addiction is a complex condition. It is not characterized by simply a love of sexual activity. It is not diagnosable by how often you have sex, or what sexual interests you have. Rather, sex addiction is when sexual habits and behaviors:

• Become Obsessions or Pre-Occupations – When you struggle to think about anything else, and think about it even while more important activities are going on.
• Engage in Risky Behavior – When you perform behaviors that are either physically risky or socially risky, such as unprotected sex with strangers, or behaviors while at work.
• Escalation – When you find that the sexual behaviors escalate, as you need to become more active in the activity to receive the same amount of thrill or energy.

Sex addiction is complicated by the reality that nearly everyone enjoys sex, and frequent sex is not necessarily a sign of a sexual addiction. This is one of the reasons that sex addiction is difficult to understand, because someone that has a very active sexual appetite may not have sex addiction.

That is why another possible signal of sex or pornography addiction is some degree of shame, distress, anxiety, or other negative behavior. Those that struggle with this type of addiction experience significant challenges to their personal or professional life, yet cannot seem to stop the behaviors.

If you think you may struggle with sex addiction on Long Island, call us today at (516) 732-0273. We have offices in Garden City, Rockville Centre, and Roslyn Heights, NY, and we are more than happy to talk to you about your sexual habits and stresses, and determine if you are a good fit for sex addiction psychology treatments.

Sex Addiction Therapy on Long Island, NY

Thousands of people with sex addiction struggle in silence. Many have no idea that they are struggling with sexual addiction at all. There are also many different types of sexual addiction, including:

• Anonymous Sex Addiction – This type of sexual addiction occurs when someone seeks out sex with anonymous strangers (or those they do not know well), with no intention of continuing a long term relationship. There is often little discrimination between partners, puts the person at physical risk, and may also be sought out while in committed relationships.
• Pornography Addiction Counseling – Not all sex addiction is targeted to those that have sex. Pornography addiction and masturbation addiction can both cause significant issues. Because pornography access is so easy, many people develop and struggle with the addiction without realizing it. An example of how this addiction manifests may be seeking out pornography in the workplace or in church.
• Infidelity Addiction – There are those that are addicted to the energy they receive from infidelity. The illicit nature of sex with others causes them to seek out sexual partners outside of their relationship, despite a genuine interest in making it work. This type of addiction can be very hard to diagnose, which is why many people do not seek help.
• Fetish Addiction – Sexual fetishes are usually very healthy. For example, thousands of men and women around Long Island have healthy sexual fetishes that may include foot fetishes, rape fantasies, voyeurism, or some other type of paraphilia. But if that desire goes too far, and But for some, they cause behaviors that can spiral out of control, such as stealing women’s shoes or performing some type of illegal activity. The escalation makes this a more damaging sexual behavior.

There are those that suffer from masturbation addiction, as well as those that simply have an extreme sexual desire that doesn’t limit itself to any one sexual behavior.

Long Island Counseling for Pornography Addiction and Sex Addiction

Even for those that struggle with the addiction, discerning between healthy sexual activity and unhealthy sexual activity can be a tremendous challenge.

We have worked with many people in New York that have struggled with sexual addiction, as well as work to heal some of the effects it can have on couples. Together in therapy, we’ll take a look at all of the factors that have led to the addiction, as well as what keeps you back from control and how to break the habit.

For more information on sex addiction counseling, please call us today at (516) 732-0273. Our psychologists have spent years as a Long Island psychologist and couples counselor assisting individuals just like you in controlling their addictions of all kinds, as well as discover new and effective ways to create healthy, fulfilling relationships in the future. Contact us today to find out more.