Sex Addiction and Mental Illness, Surprising Crossovers

Sex addiction is a serious disorder, gaining more widespread acceptance among experts in both the psychological and medical communities.

In the public perception, sex addiction continues to garner a raised eyebrow or blunt response and much of the public remains uninformed of the symptoms and factors related to the addiction, including its connections to several types of mental illness.

Sexual Compulsivity and Dual Diagnosis

Sexual compulsivity, or sexual addiction, occurs when sexual feelings or sexual behavior are used to cope with stress and to alter mood to the point of negative consequences. Sexual compulsivity shares many characteristics with other addictions such as problematic alcohol and drug use or gambling. These shared characteristics are: