4 days agoAuthor: Gaurav Tiwari
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Bollywood director Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s series ‘Heeramandi’ fame actor Jason Shah has made a big revelation about his personal life. In a conversation with a YouTube channel, he admitted that he was once struggling with sex addiction. He was also addicted to smoking and alcohol, but he said that coming out of sex addiction was the most difficult task.
Sex addiction means that a person’s mind is constantly filled with thoughts of sexual fantasies and sex-related activities. The desire for sex is repeatedly aroused, which becomes difficult to control. This has a negative impact on the person’s health, relationships, career and other aspects of life.
We should not confuse normal aspects of sex life like masturbation, erotic literature, phone sex, cybersex, multiple partners etc. with sex addiction. But if these are done excessively, then all these things can turn into addiction. When our life starts getting affected negatively due to sex, then we need to be careful about it.
Today ‘health report‘ We will talk about sex addiction. Along with this, we will know that-
- What are the signs of sex addiction?
- Who is most at risk?
- Is it the same as other addictions?
- What is its treatment?
Sex addiction is often very intense. In this, the person forgets everything in front of the desire for sex. He neither cares about who he is having a relationship with nor is he worried about the consequences after that. Many times, this also becomes the reason for sexual crime.
What are the signs of sex addiction
According to the World Health Organization, sex addiction is a mental health condition. However, it is not counted under the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). It is considered an impulsive control disorder. That is, when we become extremely excited to do something and do not have the discretion to think about the consequences.
However, many trauma and addiction experts around the world have put sex addiction at par with other addictions. World-renowned trauma expert Dr. Gabor Maté in his book ‘In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction’ defines addiction as follows-
The same kind of mental wiring is at work in the basis of every kind of addiction, but the symptoms of sex addiction are different from other addictions. Sex addiction therapist Dr. Stacy L. Sprott has written a book – ‘Naked in Public: A Memoir of Recovery from Sex Addiction’. It contains stories of many people who have been victims of sex addiction. Dr. Stacy explains the symptoms of sex addiction in this book. See the graphic below –
Is sex addiction like other addictions
Yes, the basic similarity between sex addiction and other addictions is the feeling of addiction. This means that the craving for sex is felt in the same way as cravings for alcohol, smoking or drugs. However, this addiction can sometimes be more powerful than other addictions.
According to Dr. Gabor Maté, any addiction affects our central nervous system and the chemical wiring of the brain. Therefore, when the craving arises (which can be for anything from drugs to sex), the nervous system slows down. Due to the imbalance of brain chemicals, the brain does not function properly. In the case of addiction, heart rate, breathing, blood pressure and the stress hormone cortisol start losing their balance.
There is never a sense of satisfaction in any addiction. The big aspect of this is that we keep repeating the same behaviors despite repeated negative results.
How common is sex addiction and who is most affected by it
According to the Cleveland Clinic, about 3% to 10% of the US population is affected by hypersexuality. The figures for this around the world are also between 3% and 6%.
This addiction affects men more than women. Most sex addicts start at the age of 18. Most of these people hesitate to seek professional help. Therefore, this condition continues to trouble them for a long time.
In cases of sex addiction, it has been observed that most of the people affected by it (88%) are suffering from some mental health condition.
What are the disadvantages of sex addiction
Sex addiction has a direct impact on our daily work, career and relationships. It also has a negative impact on our physical and mental health. It can cause the risk of serious infections like HIV and hepatitis. See the graphic.
What causes sex addiction or hypersexuality
Scientists and doctors have not yet been able to find out the exact causes of hypersexuality. However, there are some possible reasons. Such as-
imbalance in brain chemicals
If certain neurotransmitters in our brain such as dopamine, norepinephrine and testosterone become overactive, it can result in increased sexual desire and behavior. In this condition, in the excitement generated, we are not in a position to think about the consequences.
disturbances in the pre-frontal cortex
If an injury or mental health condition affects the part of our brain that controls our sexual behavior, it can lead to a dangerous condition of sex addiction. Hypersexuality can increase if there is dementia, epilepsy, bipolar disorder, and damage to the frontal lobe, amygdala, or pre-frontal cortex area of the brain.
Changes in brain function
If there is any change in brain function that creates new neural pathways for our addictive behavior, then the affected person becomes addicted to alcohol, smoking and drugs. This mental health condition can also lead to sex addiction.
adverse effects of the drug
Sometimes the side effects of some medicines can badly affect the functioning of our brain. Especially such effects can be seen with the medicines used in the treatment of Parkinson’s.
what is its treatment
- Sex addiction or hypersexuality is treated with a combination of medication, psychotherapy, and self-help groups.
- No specific medicine has been developed yet to treat it, but medicines are given to control the hormones and chemicals in our brain that control impulses and behavior.
- Along with this, therapies like cognitive behavior therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy and motivation interviewing can be used.
- Self-help groups are also very helpful in this. Here we realize that we are not the only person like this and also realize that we can overcome this.
