Find a Therapist for Sex Addiction

If you feel like your sexual urges, thoughts, or behaviors are interfering with your life and you’ve tried to stop but can’t, you may be experiencing symptoms of sex addiction. Many people with compulsive sexual behaviors feel shame, confusion, or isolation—but you’re not alone, and help is available.

You might benefit from sex addiction counseling if:

• You feel a loss of control over sexual behavior
• You continue engaging in risky or compulsive sex despite consequences
• You use sexual activity to escape stress, anxiety, or emotional pain
• You’ve tried to stop but keep returning to the behavior
• Your relationships, work, or self-esteem have suffered due to sexual actions

A sex addiction therapist can help you explore your patterns without judgment and create a personalized plan for healing and growth.

What is it?

Sex addiction—also referred to as compulsive sexual behavior or hypersexual disorder—involves an ongoing pattern of sexual behavior that feels uncontrollable and causes distress or harm. It can include excessive time spent on pornography, frequent anonymous sexual encounters, compulsive masturbation, or the use of sex to self-soothe emotional distress.

It’s important to recognize that the problem isn’t sex itself—it’s the compulsive, repetitive nature of the behavior and the inability to stop despite negative consequences. This condition can affect people of any gender, sexual orientation, or relationship status.

A therapist for sex addiction can help you better understand what’s driving the behavior and offer tools for change that support long-term well-being.

Recognizing the symptoms

Recognizing the signs of sex addiction isn’t always straightforward. Because sex is a normal or private part of life, it can be hard to know when behaviors cross the line into unhealthy or compulsive territory. Many people with sex addiction feel isolated, ashamed, or confused—often unsure whether what they’re experiencing qualifies as a problem.

Sex addiction symptoms go beyond frequent sexual activity. The key markers are compulsivity, loss of control, and negative consequences that persist despite efforts to stop.

Common Symptoms Include:

• Preoccupation with sexual thoughts or behaviors that interfere with work, relationships, or daily responsibilities
• Repeated unsuccessful attempts to reduce or stop sexual behaviors, even when they no longer feel enjoyable or satisfying
• Engaging in risky sexual behaviors, such as unprotected sex, anonymous encounters, or using sex workers, despite potential legal, health, or relationship consequences
• Using sex as an emotional coping mechanism, such as relying on it to escape feelings of loneliness, anxiety, depression, or stress
• Escalation over time—needing more frequent, extreme, or novel sexual experiences to achieve the same sense of relief or excitement
• Neglecting responsibilities or relationships in favor of sexual activities
• Lying, hiding, or minimizing behaviors due to shame or fear of judgment
• Feelings of guilt, shame, or self-loathing after engaging in sexual behaviors
• Withdrawal symptoms (e.g., agitation, irritability, restlessness) when attempting to stop

For some, symptoms may be linked to specific behaviors like excessive pornography consumption, compulsive masturbation, or serial affairs. Others may struggle with emotional intimacy or feel “hooked” on the thrill of pursuit rather than the act itself.

It’s also important to note that sex addiction can affect anyone—regardless of gender, age, relationship status, or sexual orientation. If you find yourself stuck in a cycle that feels unmanageable or painful, working with a sex addiction therapist can help you break free and start building healthier, more fulfilling relationships with yourself and others.

Currently, sex addiction is not classified as an official mental health disorder in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). However, the World Health Organization recognizes Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder in the ICD-11 (International Classification of Diseases), which validates the experience of many who struggle with this issue.

Regardless of classification, many people experience real and distressing patterns of compulsive sexual behavior. If your sexual behavior is causing you pain or interfering with your life, you don’t need an official label to seek help. Sex addiction counseling focuses on relief and recovery—not labels.

Sex addiction doesn’t stem from sexual desire alone. It’s often a coping mechanism—a way to manage emotional pain, trauma, or stress.

Contributing factors may include:

• Early trauma or neglect: Many individuals with sex addiction report histories of childhood trauma, abuse, or attachment wounds.
• Emotional dysregulation: Sex may be used to escape feelings of anxiety, sadness, or shame.
• Brain chemistry: Engaging in sexual behavior activates the brain’s reward system. Over time, people may become conditioned to seek that dopamine “hit” to feel okay.
• Mental health conditions: Depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or ADHD can co-occur with compulsive sexual behavior.
• Loneliness or lack of intimacy: People may turn to sexual behaviors to meet unmet needs for connection, attention, or validation.

Understanding the root cause is key. A licensed therapist for sex addiction can help uncover what’s driving your behavior and work with you to develop healthier strategies for coping.

Treatment for sex addiction is highly individualized and often involves addressing the emotional, behavioral, and neurological patterns that maintain compulsive behavior.

Therapy

Therapy is the cornerstone of recovery. Working with a trained sex addiction therapist provides a safe space to explore your history, behaviors, and triggers.

Approaches may include:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Helps identify unhelpful thought patterns and replace them with healthier coping skills.
• Cognitive therapy for sex addiction: A more targeted version of CBT, focusing specifically on distorted beliefs around sex, control, shame, and self-worth.
• Psychodynamic therapy: Explores how past experiences, especially from childhood, contribute to current behaviors.
• Group therapy: Offers community, accountability, and support from others with shared experiences.

Behavioral Strategies

• Identifying and avoiding high-risk situations
• Developing new routines and rituals
• Creating a relapse prevention plan
• Using mindfulness or grounding techniques during urges

Psychoeducation

Learning about how sex addiction works—neurologically and emotionally—can reduce shame and empower change. Many sex addiction counseling programs include educational components that help clients understand the cycle of addiction and how to break it.

Environmental Supports

• Blocking or filtering software to limit access to online pornography
• Creating accountability systems (e.g., check-ins with a partner or support group)
• Adjusting daily routines to reduce idle or triggering time

Medication

Some individuals benefit from medications that target compulsive urges or co-occurring conditions like depression, anxiety, or obsessive thoughts. A psychiatrist can assess if medication may be a helpful part of your plan.

Porn addiction therapy may follow similar guidelines, particularly when internet pornography is the primary form of compulsive behavior.

Qualified providers include:

• Sex addiction therapists: Licensed professionals trained specifically in treating compulsive sexual behaviors
• Certified Sex Addiction Therapists (CSATs): Specialists with advanced training in assessment and recovery models
• Psychologists or licensed counselors: Especially those experienced in trauma, addiction, and sexual health
• Group therapy facilitators: Some 12-step or non-12-step support groups are led by professionals

When looking to find a sex addiction therapist, be sure to ask about their training in this specific area. Not all therapists are equipped to address the unique dynamics of sex and porn addiction.

No. Recovery from sex addiction doesn’t mean giving up all sexual expression—it means developing a healthy, non-compulsive relationship with your sexuality.

For some, that might include a temporary period of abstinence to reset emotional and behavioral patterns. Others focus on learning how to engage with sex in a way that’s respectful, consensual, and aligned with their values.

A skilled therapist for sex addiction can help you define what a healthy sexual life looks like for you, based on your goals, identity, and relationships.

Sex and porn addiction share many features but are not the same:

Sex Addiction:

• May involve compulsive pursuit of in-person sexual encounters
• Often includes risk-taking (e.g., affairs, public behavior, paying for sex)
• May or may not include pornography use

Porn Addiction:

• Focuses on compulsive consumption of internet or digital pornography
• Often involves long hours online, escalating content, or secrecy
• May lead to isolation or difficulty with real-life intimacy

Both conditions are treatable, and porn addiction therapy often overlaps with other forms of sex addiction counseling.

Not necessarily. A high libido or frequent sexual thoughts do not automatically mean someone has a problem. What matters is:

• Whether the behavior feels out of control
• Whether it’s interfering with your life
• Whether it’s causing emotional distress or harm

Sex addiction is defined by compulsivity, not frequency. A sex addiction therapist can help you sort out what’s normal and what might need attention.

Yes—although it’s often underreported and misunderstood, women can absolutely experience sex addiction. Due to cultural stigma, many women hesitate to seek help or feel shame about their sexual behaviors.

Common behaviors in women may include:

• Compulsive relationships or serial partners
• Risky or anonymous sexual encounters
• Excessive use of dating or hookup apps
• Using sex to gain validation or escape negative emotions

Sex addiction counseling for women addresses the unique emotional, relational, and societal factors that may contribute to compulsive sexual behavior in women.

Whether you’re dealing with compulsive sexual behavior, struggling to stop watching porn, or seeking answers about your sexual patterns, you don’t have to go through it alone. Find a sex addiction therapist, explore sex addiction counseling, or seek porn addiction therapy with a professional who understands and supports your path to recovery.