Sex Addiction: How to Overcome Sexual Addiction?

Sex addiction can feel overwhelming, but it is treatable, and many people do recover with the right support. Recovery usually involves learning new ways to cope with stress, shame, and difficult emotions so sexual behavior no longer runs your life.

At its core, sex addiction shows up as behavior that starts to control your time, energy, and relationships instead of the other way around. Over time, these compulsive patterns can damage careers, finances, self-esteem, and trust with partners or family.

Overcoming sex addiction usually requires more than “trying harder” or relying on willpower.

While sex addiction is not listed as a specific diagnosis in the current DSM published by the American Psychiatric Association, many clinicians treat compulsive sexual behavior as a behavioral addiction because of how closely it mirrors other addictive cycles in the brain and in daily life.

The cause of sex addiction is not clearly understood. It may be a combination of psychological, social, and biological factors. Sex addiction may also be an underlying condition for people who struggle with other forms of addiction, such as alcohol or drug abuse. Some people may have a genetic predisposition to sex addiction. Others may have experienced childhood trauma or have been sexually abused, which can affect their sexual functioning and result in shame. Sexual addiction may also be a coping mechanism for other mental health issues, such as anxiety or depression. People who struggle with sex addiction may also have poor impulse control and difficulty regulating their emotions and feelings, two things that can contribute to addictive behavior.

In long-term gay relationships, sexual compulsion is often linked to shame and self-loathing, stemming from the view that homosexuality is shameful and sick, and that these feelings can be resolved by engaging in heterosexual sex. A study of gay men found that sexual compulsion was linked to a history of childhood sexual abuse, drug and alcohol use, and shame surrounding homosexuality. A study of lesbians found that sexual compulsion was linked to shame and self-loathing surrounding being a woman, but was not related to childhood sexual abuse as it is among gay men.

Sex addiction, often described clinically as “compulsive sexual behavior,” sits in a gray area in terms of formal diagnosis.

In the current DSM used by many mental health professionals in the United States, sex addiction is not listed as a standalone disorder. However, the World Health Organization’s ICD‑11 includes “Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder,” acknowledging that out-of-control sexual behavior can rise to the level of a diagnosable condition.

Because of this, many therapists and treatment programs treat compulsive sexual behavior as a behavioral addiction or as part of another mental health condition, such as an impulse-control disorder, obsessive-compulsive spectrum condition, or trauma-related disorder.

The focus is usually on the pattern: repeated, difficult-to-control sexual behaviors that continue despite serious harm to relationships, work, finances, health, or self-respect.

If sexual behavior feels out of control, creates significant distress, or consistently violates your own values or agreements, it is appropriate to seek help, whether the behavior is described as sex addiction, compulsive sexual behavior, or something else.

Chat with Us

If you’re worried that you or a loved one may have a sex addiction, look out for these signs and symptoms:

• You crave sex or sexual activity in a way that feels uncontrollable.
• You spend a lot of time thinking about sex when you’re not actually engaged in sexual activity.
• You keep returning to sexual activity despite the negative impact it has on your relationships and life.
• You’re preoccupied with sexual fantasies and images, or you feel the need to view pornography.
• You experience feelings of shame or guilt after engaging in sexual acts.

Sex addiction and compulsive sexual behavior don't stay private, they spill over into health crises, broken trust, financial ruin, and legal trouble.

Core Impacts Across Life Areas

Health risks:

Unsafe sex with multiple partners raises HIV/STD chances; excessive masturbation or porn addiction binges lead to fatigue, erectile issues, or physical strain like aching hips.

Relationship destruction:

Secrecy around affairs, porn addiction, or compulsive masturbation shatters trust, even 'smaller' infidelities cause bedroom sexual dysfunction and emotional distance.

Partners feel betrayed, leading to separation or sex therapist help.

Financial and legal fallout:

Paying for prostitution, app hookups, or bathhouse visits drain savings; public cruising (parks, rest areas, beaches) or drug trades for 'sexual highs' invite arrests.

Emotional and quality-of-life toll:

Shame, isolation, anxiety/depression mirror substance abuse effects; untreated sexual compulsion shortens life through stress or risky choices.

Hidden Behaviors Fueling the Damage

These sexual addiction patterns often hide behind screens or late nights:

• Porn and solo compulsions: Internet pornography's easy access escalates to hours lost daily, crowding out real intimacy. Linked to substance abuse in many cases, treating one rarely fixes the other.
• Casual/risky encounters: One-night stands, casual sex, affairs, or paid prostitution fill emotional voids but avoid true connection; massage parlors or bathhouses amp up danger.
• Exploitation and deception: Hooking up with married partners, catfishing online, or unprotected sex prioritizes thrill over consent or safety.

Trying to control sexual behavior and sexual impulses without outside help can be difficult. The most common treatment for sex addiction is a combination of psychotherapy (often including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), and Sex Addiction Therapy. Sex addiction therapy is a form of CBT Treatment that is designed to help you recognize the connection between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors related to sex. It’s also designed to help you identify what triggers your desire to engage in sexually compulsive behaviors so that you can better manage those triggers and refrain from acting on your impulses. There are also specific treatments designed to treat sex addiction in people who also have a substance use disorder. These include medications like naltrexone, an opioid antagonist, or Antabuse, a medication that causes a negative reaction when combined with alcohol.

People who have sex addiction can benefit from a 12-step program (such as Sex Addicts Anonymous or Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous). Twelve-step groups can be helpful for treating sex and other addictions because they offer a supportive community where members can share their experiences, provide each other with encouragement, and remind each other of the importance of staying sober. Unlike some other addictions, sex addiction does not involve an uncontrollable physical dependence on a substance. Still, sex addicts can benefit from the same core principles that form the foundation of all 12-step programs, including:

• Honesty
• Open-mindedness
• Willingness to change
• A desire to help others
• An emphasis on self-accountability

To support someone with sexual addiction, start by focusing on connection, not control. The goal is to create a safe, honest space where your loved one feels less alone and more willing to seek real help.

You cannot “fix” sexual addiction for someone else, but you can be a powerful part of their support system. Consider these steps:

• Listen more than you lecture, allow them to talk without interrupting or rushing to solutions.​
• Encourage them to seek professional help from a therapist or program that understands compulsive sexual behavior, and offer to help with research or to attend an initial appointment.​
• Suggest peer support groups (such as Sex Addicts Anonymous or related programs) so they can hear from others who have faced similar struggles.​
• Set clear, respectful boundaries about what you can and cannot live with, and be consistent in following through.

Supporting someone through sexual addiction can be emotionally exhausting and confusing.

Partners and family members often experience betrayal trauma, anxiety, and isolation, and they need just as much support as the person with the addiction.

Design for Recovery is a leading provider of Sober Living Houses in Los Angeles, specializing in helping individuals struggling with addiction.

Sex addiction is a complex and often misunderstood disorder that can have serious consequences for individuals and their relationships.

At Design for Recovery, our dedicated team provides peer support and structured living guidance in a recovery-focused environment.

Our Houses provide a safe and supportive environment for individuals to transition from addiction to independent living while receiving ongoing support from our team of recovery mentors.

Our goal is to help individuals struggling with addiction develop healthy coping mechanisms, build strong relationships, and achieve lasting recovery. Through our comprehensive approach to sober living, we support our residents in achieving a better quality of life and a sense of purpose and fulfillment.