Tag Archives: Sex Addiction

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Female Sex Addiction: Withdrawal Symptoms to Look Out For

February 9, 2016

Withdrawal Symptoms For Female Sex Addiction

Withdrawal symptoms for female sex addiction can be quite severe and include physical symptoms. The women dealing with withdrawal symptoms for female sex addiction have to deal with a variety of physical symptoms including insomnia and sleeplessness, flue-like symptoms possibly including vomiting, and symptoms of deep grief and sadness. Also included on the list of symptoms are extreme irritability and restlessness, craving, shame, or guilt. Another set of withdrawal symptoms listed all of the above in addition to:

  • loss of interest in life
  • chills
  • heart palpitations
  • tremors and shaking
  • constipation
  • feeling raw
  • hyperactivity
  • anger
  • inability to think straight
  • confusion
  • feeling numb
  • fatigue
  • bad dreams
  • emotional instability
  • aches and pains
  • inability to concentrate
  • hypersensitivity
  • despair
  • boredom
  • loss of energy
  • physical and emotional discomfort
  • insecurity

These symptoms can come and go, or change from one extreme to the other.  A female sex addict in withdrawal can feel like they’re going insane. There can also be a sense of loss because the addiction has been the addicts’s “best friend”.  The worst of the symptoms usually start to taper off in the second week or so of abstinence, but until they do, they symptoms need a detoxification process much like that gone through by those using drugs and alcohol.

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Working with a skilled therapist in addition to going to 12 step meetings are helpful, if not crucial, for women dealing with this painful process.  Love addicts can choose to go through this process when they reach the depths of despair and hopelessness engendered by the disease of female sex addiction. Other times they go through it involuntarily, when their partner, often a love-avoidant one, abandons them because of their behavior.

 

One of the problems that love addicts (or those with female sex addiction) face is that no one person can give them the ongoing unconditional love and acceptance the female sex addict seeks.  This can cause the female sex addict to cycle through a series of highs and lows which usually end in severe disappointment.

 

Female Sex addicts are seldom comfortable in their relationships and pursue a series of very intense  relationships. These relationships become more important to them than their job, children, and even self-care.  The relationships themselves seldom provide intimacy as such; rather, they provide the basis of a fantasy that doesn’t come close to reflecting the reality of their partner.

 

By the time they come for treatment, many sex addicts are in such deep depression that they need antidepressant medication in order to give them some sense of stability while they work through the issues that they come in with. By this time, the physical consequences of sex addiction are often also manifesting themselves and the female sex addict may be having to deal with physical illness caused by stds and the consequences of inadequate nutrition and the abuse of drugs. Some also need the consequences of physical abuse healed.

The symptoms of withdrawal from female sex addiction are many.  They include psychological, social, and physical problems caused by the years of neglect of self, jobs, and relationships.  The women who are caught up in the life of a female sex addiction need to repair the mess they have made of their lives and learn, some for the first time in their lives, to construct healthy intimate relationships with other people that are based in reality, not in their fevered imagination. This takes a lot of hard work and a relationship with a good therapist will make it much easier.

 

Something else that female sex addicts need to do is to break the “code of silence” that has consumed much of their lives.  This silence is not born out of respect for one’s partner, as is the case with Islamic families, but out of fear.  This fear can become overwhelming and paralyzing in some respects.  It is not a specific fear, but a generalized fear. In some cases this is the way these women grew up in a household where no one ever talked about anything because one or both parents were caught up in their own addictions and so were unavailable to the young girl.

 

Some researchers believe that the sex drive is even stronger than the drive to eat when hungry.  It is known that rats will brave an electric shock in order to get to a rod that stimulates the pleasure centers in their brain.  Even starving rats, on the other hand, will not brave an electric shock in order to get to food. This argument, applied to humans, would seem to indicate that the consequences of developing an addiction and then stopping without replacing that addiction with something that stimulates those same pleasure centers will be highly traumatizing to the person who does it.

Female Sex Addiction: Withdrawal Symptoms to Look Out For

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Dopamine And Sex Addiction

February 9, 2016

The Contribution Of Dopamine In Sex Addiction

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that coordinates information transfer within the brain of human beings. It is mostly associated with information that is mostly related to pleasure of rewards to the body.  Dopamine can therefore be said to be the brain neurotransmitter that passes information from one neuron on the brain to another. The effects of dopamine in the brain mainly depends on where or which part of the brain it is released from, there the intended receiving neurons are located within the brain and the types of the receiving neurons and the receptors to which the dopamine is bonded to within the brain.

It, dopamine, is a neurotransmitter that is mostly associated with the brain or body motivation, attention, lust, addiction and even desire. When a body in in dire need for something or a substance, normally viewed as reward by the brain, it has been found that it is usually the neurotransmitter at work. Naturally, the human brain regards pleasure of any kind the same way, that is, it the same response to different forms of desires provided they bring pleasure. Its basic distinguished signature response to pleasure is the release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbems part of the brain. Some of the rewards the brain considers to bring it pleasure include; monetary reward, drugs, sexual activity, and satisfaction of eating.

Dopamine And Sex Addiction

Whether, the above named pleasurable activities remain a normal daily routine or they become addiction do depend on some factors too. You see a normal life routine would has a normal response to these rewards. However, some of life’s activities such as substance abuse, sex, or even gambling would have a different effects to the brain all together. This can be referred to as short circuiting the brain. The speed with which any of these activities leads to dopamine released to the brain, the intensity of its release and the reliability of its released has been said to be responsible for whether one becomes an addict or not. Let us examine how dopamine do function on the brain of a sex addict. Addiction to something can be said to be the state at which a person has a craving for one thing, in which they have no control over, and continue to have themselves involved in irrespective of the consequences however dire.

Experiencing a sexual activity, desire or pleasure causes a powerful surge of dopamine release on the brain. This is a normal occurrence within the brain in response to and pleasurable encounter. However repeated encounter with far much greater intensity can and do lead to sexual addiction. Dopamine released in the brain interact with others neurotransmitters such as the glutamate and other in order to cause some influences to the brain and the body. Together, these neurotransmitters, dopamine and glutamate, interact and take over the reward sensing brain system. This is the part of the brain system that is hugely associated with motivation and memory and is also the part that associated sex with reward and pleasure for the brain.

Repeated sexual activities causes the nerves cells of the parts of the brain that is responsible for the for the planning and execution of tasks to communicate in a way that is starts by liking the sex, then wanting the sex, then finally craving sex in such a way that the brain is fixed on wanting it so badly that it loses control of the body’s will. This too much sexual craving drives the brain to have a strong desire for sexual pleasure. However, with time, the brain cells adapt to this sexual craving which results into the desire for the sex becoming less pleasurable that was first imagined.

Dopamine and Sex Addiction

Too much sexual activities leads to the brain being flooded by the neurotransmitter, dopamine to an extend that the brain finds it quite difficult to with stand the surge. When the brain achieves this state, the sex addict has a problem at their hands. This will want to solve this new feeling of displeasure by having more and more sex. Instead of getting the desired pleasure, this increased in sexual activity will lead to more production of dopamine to the brain up to the limit where its release is greatly reduced. This reduction on the dopamine release or elimination of dopamine receptors leads to less impact on the brain reward center. This is the stage where the sex no longer provides the pleasure it is associated with hence the brain requires more sexual activity to achieve the same high pleasure state.

At this stage, the person is compelled to have more sexual activities. The pleasure of sex wind down, though, the memory of the desired pleasure remains, hence the persistence of the need for sex. This ultimately, results into sex addiction.

The Contribution Of Dopamine In Sex Addiction

 

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Depression And Female Sex Addiction

February 1, 2016

How Depression And Female Sex Addiction

 Not much information exists on the effects of Depression on Female Sex Addiction.  Not much information exists on Female Sex addiction.  This even though estimates are that at least 1/3 of sexual addicts are women.

 Why so little information?

 There are several reasons for the lack of information regarding Female Sex Addiction.  The first is that sex addiction is misunderstood.  Many women who regard their sex lives as being out of control are reluctant to identify themselves as sex addicts because of the perceived stigma surrounding the disease.  

The second problem when dealing with female sex addiction is that many therapists themselves do not believe that women can become addicted to sex.  This is what is called a “cultural bias” which is something that many people cannot identify by themselves, sometimes not even when it is repeatedly pointed out to them. They would ask why, if there are so many female sex addicts, do they not see any? The answer to that question is that they are asking the wrong questions, or they are asking the right questions in the wrong way or setting. Women are subject to many taboos and restrictions that men either do not feel at all or may feel in a different way. 

Woman snorting cocaine or amphetamines, sex addiction

For instance, a man who is asked if he has had sex in inappropriate situations or with people not appropriate to have sex with might take that question as a chance to answer honestly while doing a bit of bragging about himself.  This is because there are mixed messages about who men can and cannot have sex with, and when a man violates these messages he can feel a mix of both elation—Ha! Got away with that one! And guilt/shame—I did something I really should not have—at the same time. 

However, the female sex addict perceives a lot of shame associated with her activities—whether it’s compulsively masturbating or viewing porn sites or having one affair after the other.  She is more likely to suffer depression and to seek help for the depression which is both masking and exacerbating the symptoms of sexual addiction than is a man.

 Some therapists believe that female sex addiction is a result of early sexual abuse.  The theory goes that the addiction begins as a way to overcome the feelings of guilt and shame engendered by such abuse,  The problem with viewing sex addiction as a coping mechanism is that as a coping mechanism it brings its own burden of guilt and shame because of the restrictions society places on women.  So even when she seeks treatment for the guilt and shame, expressed as depression and anxiety, she cannot fully participate in the therapy because she “knows” that this part of her disease process would be unacceptable—so she “neglects” to tell her therapist about her sex addiction. 

Another problem therapists encounter is that sex addicts need to diagnose themselves because there is no clinically accepted way actually to diagnose and treat sex addiction in either male or female patients.  It was not until recently that sex addiction was recognized as an addiction. Before that happened, there were only some very uncomplimentary labels associated with the types of behavior these women struggle with.  However, recently there have been some studies that seem to associate the brain chemistry responses of sex addicts with the same brain chemistry responses of drug addicts.  This makes the case for sex addiction being regarded as just as much an addiction to drugs.  This is a good thing as it gives the women and men who struggle with their addiction to sex a measure of hope that they can overcome their problem. It also gives something for therapists to look at.  This is important because there are still many therapists who think that sex addiction is not really an addiction—just something that needs counseling.

depression

 The down side to this is that there is still no accepted way to diagnose sex addiction on a clinical basis.  That is, there is no accepted blood test or MRI test that will definitively diagnose one person as being a sex addict, just as there is no clinical way to diagnose a gambling addict.  The diagnosis still has to be made as a list of symptoms, and this is how many female sex addicts hide their illness from others and themselves. They tell the therapist about their depression and their anxiety, but unless the therapy goes on for a while and the therapist starts to hear the same story about different men, they may have no clue that the woman they’re dealing with is dealing with sex addiction in addition to their depression and anxiety. 

So what do you look for? 

  1. They lie. To everyone, they included. They lie to their boyfriend, spouse, or boss.  They lie to the people they have sex with.  They lie to get people to have sex with them, and they lie to escape the consequences of having sex with the wrong person.
  2. Sex consumes them. Their life is run by the next time they can have sex, or masturbate, or look at pornography.
  3. They’re divorced, dead, fired, or arrested. Sex addicts don’t care about the consequences of having sex.  They know that having another affair can get them fired, divorced, or arrested, but they feel the thrill is worth the danger.  In fact, some will court danger as the thrill is intensified.
  4. Intense interest in pornography. Sex addicts almost always develop an intense interest in pornography—whether that be pornographic magazines, images on the internet, or movies.
  5. They want to stop and can’t. This is the sign of a true addict to anything.  All addicts want to stop, and none of them know how.  The reason is that they have no idea what normal is, either because they never developed the idea of normal or for some other reason.

How Depression Influences Female Sex Addiction

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Sex Addiction and Substance Abuse

August 26, 2014

Sex Addiction and Substance Abuse – Chemical changes in the Brain

Sex Addiction and Substance Abuse when the two are put together there will be the danger of broken relationship and even unpleasant sex life.

The rate at which sex addiction is growing in our societies today is worrying and the moral fabric is under serious threat of decaying each passing hour. Today with the accessibility of internet nearly every ware the growing speed of sex addiction and other illicit activities is almost getting out of hand. Little controls is being put to safe guard this and many are falling victims of thanks to the advancement in technology. Because of internet accessibility in many different forms sex and porn addicts receives their drugs of choice in the comfort of their leaving rooms, kitchen and bathroom let alone in their bed rooms.

Sex Addiction and Substance Abuse – Sex Changes Brain Chemistry

There is no difference between drug addicts with sex addicts; both are dependent on the chemical changes in the brain which create a euphoric feeling. Having an orgasm facilitates a neurochemical change in the limbic system of the brain which is responsible for:

  • Emotions
  • Drives
  • Impulses
  • Desires
  • Decision making
  • Happiness
  • Survival

Dopamine is the primary neurochemical that triggers your reward circuitry which is normally released through various activities including sex, eating, taking risks and even drinking water. Once the reward activity is stopped, dopamine activates cravings for it. For instance dopamine will create the urge for taking chocolate cake because consuming chocolate cake activates natural opiods found in the brain producing “feel good” sensations. It is important to note that dopamine will not be satisfied and will continue to crave opiods. Nevertheless when it comes to sex, dopamine drives the desire for an orgasm even though it is opioids that are responsible for the production of the orgasm.

It is important knowing that all substances and any addictive activities will have great influence and increase dopamine levels unnaturally. Deregulation of dopamine levels happens through various activities such as:

  • Cocaine intake
  • Meeting extremely attractive casino hostesses or attendant
  • Searching through the porn links
  • Consumption of junk food filled with fat and sugar

The consistent indulgence in activities which can trigger dopamine together with the feelings that come along with it can cause an individual who is defendant or an addict to progressively engage in self-defeating activities. With this tolerance builds as a result of repetitive behavior and the addict needs to increase the rate of behavior to realize the desired euphoric effect. The cycle of addiction is prolonged by the physical and psychological cravings produced by the addiction.

Sex Addiction and Substance Abuse – Sexual Addiction

Ideally sex is a good thing meant for good pleasurable feelings, it is never addictive however when the chemical changes that takes place in the brain during sexual intercourse are highly addictive then the desire for this change in the brain chemistry is what drives an addict to do things that would ordinarily be considered out of character and unacceptable. Such unacceptable behaviors may include the following:

  • Unsafe and unwanted sex
  • Consistent use of pornography and any related porn literature
  • Use of prostitutes and/or escorts for sexual pleasures
  • Use of dating ads for sexual hookups
  • Sexualizing all conversations even when it is not necessary
  • Crossing sexual boundaries with coworkers, friends and acquaintances

It may not take you long to identify a sex addict in your midst, for instance one such indicator that will expose that an underlying sexual addiction may be present is when someone is willing to continue engaging in known risky behaviors that have negative consequences. To understand this better let us take this illustration of a husband who will lie to his wife in order to get a free moment to meet an escort for sex even if it is for just one hour and after the act, he feels tremendous shame, guilt and remorse about his behavior. Over time, the negative feelings decrease and he repeats the same act out again and again not because he wants to sleep with other women, but just to satisfy the dopamine cravings for excitement, risk and satisfaction of sexual urges. At this point the husband is not looking to have an affairs but he is simply seeking for sex. Therefore sex addicts are not looking to have a relationship with the individual they are acting out with but are often making impulsive decisions based on insatiable urges that are very similar to drug or alcohol cravings. The consequences of impulsive decisions related to sex addiction are far reaching and may include:

  • Loss of job
  • Loss of relationships
  • Contraction of sexually transmitted diseases
  • Sexual dysfunction.

In many occasions most sex addicts will also use drugs or alcohol to escape from uncomfortable feelings and the reality of dealing with the consequences of their addiction which further compounds the whole addiction problem.  It is at this moment that you will need to seek the help of a professional to help you recover from these multiples of addictions. At AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under Doctor Akoury’s care you will not only get to recover from drug addiction but doctor Akoury will also help you even with your sexual problems in the most natural way while focusing on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE all you have to do is to call and begin the recovery journey right away.

Sex Addiction and Substance Abuse – Warning signs of sex and drug/alcohol addiction are:

  • When use of drugs, alcohol and sex increases over time
  • Behavior is self-destructive
  • Excessive use of drugs, alcohol and/or sex affects the person’s physical health
  • Addiction negatively effects relationships
  • Behavior causes harm to others
  • Drugs, alcohol and/or sex are used to alter moods
  • An individual is unable to be satisfied by the behavior
  • Attempts to stop or end the behavior are made but are not successful

In conclusion there is nothing good about being an addict of any substance, matters could be complicated if you have multiples of addiction like sex addiction and drug or alcohol addiction. This will for sure have an unfriendly impact on each other.  For instance if a sex addict will indulge in use drugs and alcohol to cope with underlying painful feelings related to their behaviors and on the other hand, an alcoholic or drug addict who is trying to quit using may turn to sex or masturbation as a way to elicit euphoric feelings without the use of addictive substances. These conditions are incompatible and it is very important that you call doctor Akoury right now to book an appointment with her. She will evaluate both your addiction conditions and help you overcome all these frustrating conditions using painless natural methods to bring you back to life in a very short time.

Sex Addiction and Substance Abuse – Chemical changes in the Brain

 

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Creating Understanding of Sex Addiction Therapy

June 22, 2014

Understanding Sex Addiction Therapy

sex addictionSex addiction can be a highly dangerous and destructive condition. Like drug or alcohol addiction, sex addiction is a common, but infrequently diagnosed, condition that affects the addict’s mental health, personal relationships, quality of life, and safety.

In general, sex addiction is referred to as an obsessive need to perform sexual acts in order to achieve the kind of “fix” that an alcoholic gets from a drink or an addict from a drug. Usually, a sex addict seeks out manifold partners or may also have relations with children, animals, or inanimate objects. The addiction may obvious as a compulsive need to masturbate, view pornography, or be in erotically stimulating situations. Sex addiction may require the addict to significantly alter his life and activities in order to perform sexual acts multiple times a day. A sex addict cannot stop his or her behavior, despite severe negative penalties.

  • Symptoms and Signs of Sex Addiction

Sex addiction can be problematic to spot from the outside. Most addicts become skilled at hiding their behavior and can even keep the addiction secret from spouses, partners, and family members. However, a discrete might have a sex addiction if he or she exhibits some or all of the following behaviors: Chronic, obsessive sexual thoughts and fantasies, Relations with multiple partners on a frequent basis, especially with strangers, Preoccupation with having sex, even when it interferes with daily life, productivity, work performance, Inability to stop compulsive sexual behaviors or restrain sexual activity, Putting oneself or others in danger due to sexual behavior, Engaging in illegal sexual activity with prostitutes, minors, or children, Need for dominance and control in sexual liaisons, Sensation remorse or guilt after sexual episodes, Negative personal or professional consequences due to sexual behavior.

Since sex addiction can be difficult to diagnose, it’s important to remember that enjoying sexual activity does not make one a sex addict. A sex addict is typically someone who has a compulsive need to achieve sexual acts and appears to have no controller over these instincts.

Unlike other addictions, behavior for compulsive sexual behavior cannot require the addict to give up sex for life. Sex is a normal, healthy, and compulsory human function. However, a sex addict must learn the difference between healthy and non-healthy sexual behavior. This process can often take months or years. Treatment for sex compulsion usually includes one or more of the following devices.

  • Inpatient Treatment Programs

There are many different inpatient conduct centers that offer sex addiction recovery programs. Often times, sex addicts must be removed from their normal daily lives for at least 30 days but often longer to help them regain control of their impulses and start the recovery process. These types of programs typically include comprehensive separate counseling and group therapy sessions.

  • 12-Step Programs

Programs such as Sex Addicts Anonymous follow the same recovery model as Alcoholics Anonymous and can be incredibly helpful for many sex addicts. Associates are not required to give up sex entirely, but are heartened to refrain from compulsive and destructive sexual behavior.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

This type of therapy can help a sex addict recognize triggers for sexual impulses and eventually teach Medication.

Some sex addicts may benefit from a course of drug therapy treatment, as certain antidepressants might help alleviate urges.an addict how to cope with them finished social changes.

Expectations

addictionUnlike with other addictions, a sex addict faces a unique set of challenges. It is not truthful for a sex addict to give up sensual activity entirely, but it may be necessary for him or her to abstain from sex for up to a year. This period of self-denial can often help sex addicts learn to identify the reasons of their needs and to explore deeper emotional issues that might contribute to the appearance of the addiction. Like a compulsive eater, a sex addict must learn the difference between natural, healthy urges and addictive ones. For sex addicts, there is not necessarily a “cure,” but there are ways to achieve the condition and still live a normal, balanced life. Spouses and family members of a sex addict should be ready to deal with the possibility of relapse, as it is often a normal part of the recovery process.

Resources

More information about sex addiction, as well as information for family members or loved ones, can be found by contacting the following governments: Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous, The Society for Advancement of Sexual Health, Sexual Recovery Institute.

Promoting Sexual Health

Sexuality should be an essential and balanced part of our life experience. However, when sex becomes all consuming, or when we deprive ourselves of healthy sexual expression, our sexuality acts as a barrier filled with disgrace and self-contempt. It isolates us from attachment with others. Healthy sexual behavior, on the other hand, creates familiarity and closeness. It is characterized by trust, respect, joy and safety.

Learn More at New Frontier Medicine Academy

New frontier provides assessment and evidenced-based treatment in a safe, confidential, and respectful atmosphere. We offer a variety of programs for sexual health and addiction and are committed to providing state-of-the art services that help our clients lead lives filled with more joy and satisfaction.

Creating Understanding of Sex Addiction Therapy

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