COMPULSIVE SEXUAL BEHAVIOR

Mike just turned 50. He had a loving family and a job he liked. People knew him as kind, smart, hardworking, and devoted to his family. However, he secretly struggled with compulsive sexual behavior since he was 10, when he first saw porn. He couldn’t ignore it. One day, while he was online, his wife caught him. The pain on her face was unforgettable. He was filled with shame, fear, and confusion. Mike realized he could no longer bear the lies and the harm he caused to himself and his family. He reached out to a therapist to help him recover from his behaviors and started his healing journey.

Problematic pornography use and uncontrolled sexual behavior is a rising issue in the U.S. and around the world. Many men and an increasing number of women feel a strong urge to seek out sex and pornographic content. Research in brain science and addiction shows that frequent pornography use and constant sexual arousal can be harmful, causing lasting changes in the brain and affecting various aspects of life, such as:

  • Depression & suicidal thoughts

  • Anxiety

  • Irritability & anger management problems

  • Shame

  • Poor self-image

  • Isolation & social anxiety

  • Relationship conflicts and divorce

  • Work-related problems

  • Financial problems

  • Legal problems

  • Thinking and concentration problems

  • Erectile dysfunction & other sexual dysfunctions

Compulsive sexual behavior is now viewed as an acceptable generalized disorder such as anxiety and depression, and exhibits key features:

  1. Inability to control sexual impulses: Individuals with CSBD experience intense, repetitive sexual urges that they cannot voluntarily curtail.

  2. Repetitive sexual behavior: The disorder is characterized by repetitive sexual behavior, which may include excessive masturbation, compulsive seeking of sexual partners, or engaging in risky sexual behaviors.

  3. Marked distress or impairment: CSBD causes significant psychological distress, impairment in daily life, and potential harm to oneself or others.

  4. Persistent pattern: The disorder persists over an extended period, typically six months or more.

Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder (CSBD)

Services Available

  • Thorough screening & assessment

  • Psychoeducation

  • Task-centered treatment plans & coaching

  • Individual therapy for addict & partner

  • Group support

Curious if you might have compulsive sexual behavior? Take this quiz now…then, reach out to begin your journey of recovery. .

Out of control sexual behavior is a legitimate problem and can become chronic. It does not discriminate against gender, wealth, profession, culture, age, or religious background. It is a brain problem, whereby the pleasure/reward system “hijacks” the part of the brain that is responsible for thinking, judgment, organizing tasks, memory, mood, and personal values. Over time, and through stimulus conditioning, the brain can rewire itself permanently, called “neuroplasticity”. These neuroplastic changes result in compulsive, automatic sexual obsession and behaviors, which if untreated, can result in negative life experiences, and even death.

If you or your partner are struggling with this issue, or would like to know more about compulsive sexual behavior please reach out to me today.