thread on sex addiction

[redpepper]

http://www.theshamefreezone.com/blog/blog6.php

I found this super interesting and thought I would add it as sometimes people suggest that they are poly/open/swingers etc because of sex addiction... perhaps this will shed some light on the topic.

(Veronica Monet does a podcast too if anyone is interested http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id386700802)

[FitChick]

Most interesting! I have 'met' true addicts online,they hide behind their computers and rarely have a 'normal' relationship with a woman..they don't know how to!
As far as the celebrities go,well,I never thought Tiger was an addict,more an habitual cheater who liked the attention and the 'ego' involved. I see sports stars down here with women that are not their wives and girlfriends and it seems like people accept that it is just something that goes with the territory,I don't subscribe to that myself..

[vodkafan]

I wanted to try being a sex addict once so I asked my wife for a more regular supply

[vodkafan]

Sorry to lower the tone redpepper that was a joke couldn't resist

[Ariakas]

I have actually done some reading on this. And this is covered in depth on one of the seasons of Dr Drew. They bring in sex addicts and you learn quite a bit about it. In the case of the 8 or 10 participants this is a little summary

Some are addicted to the physical chemical reaction, like any other drug
Some are addicted to the romantic side of having sex with someone new
Some are addicted to fresh love
All people required this to be NEW. Old partners etc, could not fulfill this need. So increasing the number of times you have sex with your wife would not make it better.

All three groups demonstrate these addictions by having sex with anyone they can. In the midst of what is pretty crappy television there is some good information released.

Obviously the show was a small segment and involved "stars" who were addicted. So it is a small subsection of narcissistic people. But it was interesting to watch how the addiction is more akin to chemical addiction than simply masturbating all the time. They really were craving that chemical release. One of the stars was a drummer from many rock bands. Had never touched drugs, didn'tlike to drink, but had had sex with 1000's of women. He had made the connection that his addiction was no better/worse than the guy addicted to heroin.

I think non-monogamy does attract sex addicts (hell how can't it, its pretty much an open door). We see serial monogamists become serial polyamorists. We see people jumping from person to person trying to get a fix, before NRE is even complete. Unfortunately that will be the connection made to non-monogamy, its bound to happen and you can't fault the general public for this connection as sex addiction becomes more prominent.

[Erin]

@ Ariakas: very interesting response. Thank you for sharing. I can understand why a person can get addicted to sex. People get so lonely that they begin to crave the one thing that is denied them. Then it builds and eventually gets out of hand when left untreated. Perhaps if the loneliness (or whatever) was addressed early on, the addiction might not get out of hand. Who really knows? Sex is pretty darn nice, especially when its with someone new...