Sexual Addiction - How To Manage It?

Sexual intimacy is a normal human need. But for some, sexual behaviour becomes compulsive and gets out of control, even when people might not express it openly. Sexual addiction means the affected person repeatedly participates in a sexual activity, which causes detrimental effects on his/her relationships, job, self-esteem and overall life. It is used as an escape from unpleasant and unwanted feelings.

Like any other addiction, sexual addiction is difficult to talk about until the person accepts that there is a problem and becomes aware of how his/her behaviour is affecting their life along with the lives of people around them.

Here are some ways to help cope up with the addiction for yourself or someone you know.

1. Accept the problem: Being aware of your condition and accepting it is the first step to recovery. Admit that you have a problem, make your mind to control it and seek timely help.
2. Know the triggers: Awareness is the most crucial element in treating any condition. Identify the cause of your addiction. There are triggers which precede sexual behaviour, leading to your addiction. Identify these triggers and try getting rid of them. They could be certain emotions, people or situations which make you feel the urge to perform sexual activity.
3. Seek help: It is very difficult to address any problem alone. When you think you have a problem, seek help immediately. Confide in loved ones, family or friends about your condition. Join support groups that help people with sexual addiction. Seek professional help when you feel things are going out of control. Visit a therapist who can explain the condition to you and help you find ways to deal with it.
4. Stop feeling embarrassed: Addictions come with a lot of shame and embarrassment when you realize your problem. Focus on the positive aspect that you have finally realized and figured out your problem. Forget about the past and concentrate on what you can do to help yourself. Nobody is judging you or going to make you feel bad. Your family and friends are there to support you and help you get out of the situation. Stay away from people who tend to behave otherwise and enforce their negative emotions and thoughts on you. Trusting the person who is going to help you is the key. Remind yourself that you are seeking help to get healthier and happier.
5. Channelize your energy: When you stop doing addictive sexual activities, the excess energy in your body needs to be released. Channelize that energy on healthy productive forms of recreation like exercise, running, swimming, yoga etc. Search for an activity which stimulates your mind, body and soul making you feel happy and content to the end. In short, stay occupied always.

Although sexual addiction makes life difficult for an individual, following these tips will definitely help you deal with the situation more effectively.