Calgary Sex Addiction Counselling

Healthy sex and intimacy are crucial components of a fulfilled life. But like anything that can cause good feelings, there are times when the desire for those good feelings goes too far, and in some cases the desire for sex and sexual behaviors reaches a level that qualifies as an addiction. When this happens, you may have what’s known as “sexual addiction” – an addiction to sex and sex-motivated behaviors that causes significant life impairment.

WHAT IS SEX ADDICTION?

Sex addiction is a very real, very problematic issue that affects hundreds of men and women in and around Calgary. Sexual addiction is not necessarily the constant desire for sex. It is a desire for sex that extends beyond normal societal functioning, when it controls behaviors and leads to significant personal distress. You may qualify for a sex addiction when:

• Sex is affecting your work or personal life negativity.

• You engage in sexual exploits that you know are dangerous or immoral.

• You are unable to stop these sexual behaviors.

Sex addicts may find themselves in a variety of inappropriate sexual encounters with strangers, spreading or frequently putting themselves at risk for disease, or seeking out sex in situations that may not warrant it, or desiring something so strongly that it is leading to obsessions that are problematic personally, professionally, or legally. Symptoms may include all or any of the following:

• Unhealthy obsession with the sexual behavior.

• Preoccupation with the sexual behavior in unrelated circumstances.

• Frequent sexual activity, often with multiple partners or escalating dangers.

• Avoiding healthy relationships and activities in favor of sex.

• Need for or desire of a specific situation in order to find sexual fulfillment.

Sex addiction can also lead to a variety of negative consequences, including:

• Inability to perform during healthy sexual encounters.

• Altered consciousness about sexual expectations.

• Decrease in energy for activities outside of sex.

• Depression, anxiety, and low self esteem.

• Trouble in relationships where the sexual needs are not met.

Sexual addiction is not limited to sex either. Pornography addiction is an increasingly common problem. Those struggling with pornography addiction seek out pornography any chance they have and experience withdrawals when they are not watching it. There are also fetish addictions, voyeurism problems, exhibitionist issues and more, all that fall within the realm of sexual addiction.

SEXUALLY ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS ACCORDING TO LEVELS OF SEVERITY

LEVEL ONE:

• Masturbation

• Affairs, chronic infidelity, romance addiction

• Sexual relationships with multiple partners

• Pornography use and collection (with or without masturbation)

• Phone sex, cybersex

• Anonymous sex

• Prostitution – strip clubs

LEVEL TWO:

• Illegal prostitution

• Public sex (bathrooms, parks, etc.)

• Voyeurism – online or live

• Exhibitionism

• Obscene phone calls

• Frotteurism

• Stalking behaviors

• Sexual harassment

LEVEL THREE:

• Rape

• Child molestation

• Obtaining and viewing child pornography

• Obtaining and viewing rape, snuff pornography

• Sexual abuse of older or dependent persons

• Incest

• Professional boundary violations (clergy, police officers, teachers, physicians, attorneys,etc.)

SEEKING OUT HELP FOR YOUR SEX ADDICTION

Sexual addiction is a complex addiction but there is hope! As a trained Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT®) Candidate, Dr. Oteng-Boateng is completing training developed by Dr. Patrick Carnes which requires attendance at multiple training modules and supervision with a CSAT Supervisor. It also requires ongoing professional education so that CSATs are experts in providing sexual addiction therapy. Sexual addiction also comes in levels, from an addiction to masturbation to stalking behaviors and child rape, and the further you are down these levels the more legally and morally dangerous the problems become. But despite these levels, all sexual addictions lead to personal distress and the distress of others in your life, and that is why it is important to seek out sexual addictions therapy from a trained Calgary sexual addictions specialist.

At Innovative Counselling Solutions we offer a judgment free sexual addictions counselling service. We provide you with the help you need to address your sex addictions, improve your relationships, and get your life back on the right track. Our goal is to help you control your sex addictions, experience healthy sex and put your energy into areas of your life that are more emotionally and physically healthy. To learn more about treatment for sex addiction including an initial (free) sexual addiction screening assessment, please visit www.sexhelp.com. If you are a partner, take the Partner Sexuality Survey. Contact us today at 403-879-2503 to find out more about our sex addictions therapy service. We also have a separate website dedicated to sex addiction so check that out for more information and resources: www.calgarysexaddictioncounselling.ca