Sex Compulsions Treatment
Sexual compulsions or urges are demonstrated through an unhealthy and obsessive focus on personal desires, fantasies or attempts to satisfy sexual needs. The deficits occur when this preoccupation becomes the primary focus and debilitates the capability of an individual to attend to other daily living skills, family, job, and other responsibilities.
It’s crucial to understand that compulsive sexual behavior is rarely about sex itself, but is most often a symptom of deeper, unresolved emotional pain. It can be a powerful, albeit destructive, way to cope with underlying issues such as past trauma, chronic stress, or the emptiness of depression. By viewing it as a complex mental health condition rather than a moral failing, we can begin the compassionate work of healing the true source of the distress.
Symptoms of Sex Compulsions
You may recognize these symptoms in yourself or a loved one:
- You have recurrent and intense sexual fantasies, urges and behaviors that take up a lot of your time and feel as if they are beyond your control.
- You feel driven to do certain sexual behaviors, and feel a release of the tension afterward, but also guilt or remorse.
- You have tried unsuccessfully to reduce or control your sexual fantasies, urges or behavior.
- You use compulsive sexual behavior as an escape from other problems, such as loneliness, depression, anxiety and stress.
- You continue to engage in sexual behaviors that have serious consequences, such as getting or giving someone else a sexually transmitted disease, loss of important relationships, trouble at work, financial strain or legal problems.
- You have trouble establishing and maintaining healthy and stable relationships.
Causes
While the direct cause of sexual compulsive disorders is not fully known, the following are some of the potential causes:
- An imbalance of natural brain chemicals. Certain chemicals in your brain (known as neurotransmitters) such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine help regulate your mood. High levels may be related to compulsive sexual behavior.
- Changes in brain pathways. Compulsive sexual behavior may be an addiction that causes a change in the neural circuits of the brain, especially in the reinforcement centers of the brain. Like other addictions, increased sexual content and stimulation are typically required over time in order to gain satisfaction or relief.
- Conditions that affect the brain. Certain diseases or health problems, such as epilepsy and dementia, may cause damage to parts of the brain that affect sexual behavior. In addition, treatment of Parkinson’s Disease with some dopamine agonist medications may cause compulsive sexual behavior.
Compulsive sexual behavior often co-exists with other conditions, creating a complex web that requires integrated treatment. For individuals with unresolved PTSD or a history of attachment-related disorders, the intense neurochemical release from sexual activity can serve as a temporary escape from painful memories or feelings of loneliness. Our philosophy is to treat the whole person, addressing these interconnected issues simultaneously to foster lasting recovery and help build a foundation for healthy intimacy.
Treatment
Treating a sexual compulsive disorder can be coupled with co-occurring mental health disorders. Often, these symptoms can be addressed with therapy, cognitive behavioral interventions that address your thoughts, feelings and behaviors, group therapies, or exposure therapies that can include EMDR or Brainspotting.
Our Integrated Path to Healing
At The Beach Cottage at Seasons in Malibu, our treatment goes beyond simply managing behaviors. We provide a safe, confidential space to heal the underlying wounds that drive the compulsion. Our expert clinical team develops a personalized plan that may include:
- Trauma-Focused Therapies: Modalities like EMDR and Brainspotting are used to process and resolve the core traumas that often fuel compulsive behaviors, allowing your nervous system to find a true sense of safety and calm.
- Holistic Regulation: We incorporate holistic amenities such as mindfulness, yoga, and exercise to help you develop healthy coping mechanisms and regulate your emotional state without needing to resort to compulsive actions.
- Building Healthy Connections: Through individual and group therapy, we help you explore the patterns that have made genuine connection difficult, guiding you toward building the secure and fulfilling relationships you deserve in our serene beachside facility.
If you or a loved one needs treatment for sex compulsions, please call one of our caring, admissions counselors now for a free, no-obligation and confidential conversation about how The Beach Cottage at Seasons in Malibu can help.
Let’s Talk 424-235-2009
