Sex addiction can be a problem for many, not just for men but for women as well. And you know what? So is love addiction. But how do you know which is which? These two can be confusing. Let’s clear them up here.
Love addiction and sex addiction have many things in common, and this is why it’s confusing, especially since there are many myths surrounding both. While the myths we’re going to discuss in other articles, we’ll just take a look at how these two can be similar and how they can be different–and what you can do to distinguish between the two. You may even find that you know of someone who may need professional help because of sex addiction or love addiction.
One thing you need to know, though, is that like substance and alcohol addiction, as well as things like gambling addiction, both love and sex addictions can alter the brain. These addictions affect the brain in the same way that substance abuse does, and are therefore clinically described as process addictions.
Now, let’s take a look at the signs of sex addiction:
Criteria for Sex Addiction
People with sex addiction normally exhibit these behaviors:
- Constant thoughts about sexual behavior or anything related to sex
- Excessive amount of time, money, and other resources pursuing sexual activities and sexual encounters, and even in trying to recover or cut down from sexual behavior
- Gnawing need to increase the intensity, frequency, or thrill associated with sexual activities even when this poses a danger to one’s self or others
- Having excessively unpleasant feelings from the inability to fulfill sexual appetites (feelings like anxiety, guilt, anger, depression)
Meanwhile, love addiction is different from sex addiction because the former focuses more on the relationship than the sexual encounters.
Criteria for Love Addiction
- Obsessive need to constantly see the person even if it brings harm to you or to others
- Having serial relationships because of the “high” it brings–being “in love with falling in love”
- Using relationships as a way to cope with or escape from problems, stress, and other undesirable situations or feelings
- Feeling and looking desperate when the person of interest is out of sight
Whether it’s can a sex or love addiction, both are harmful. A person can have difficulty engaging in a satisfying lifestyle and in maintaining healthy relationships. These addictions can be bad for the health too. Simply put, the hallmark of these addictions is the inability of the person to function.
Read up more on our blogs to find out more about addiction.
And if you or someone you know is struggling with substance or behavioral addiction, Bridges of Hope can help. Bridges of Hope is a residential treatment center providing private, top-notch addiction treatment. Call or text us today: 09175098826.
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