How do I know if I have a problem with Sex, Love & Relationships?

QuestionnaireSex addiction is one of the lesser know addictions but the consequences can be severe. When sex becomes a destructive preoccupation it can lead you into acting out on fantasies that may put you in danger. Like other addictions, sex addiction is a means to escape from everyday feelings. It can become a necessity and may result in pursuing sex outside an existing relationship. The associated shame and remorse drive the addict to act out once more and so begins a self-perpetuating cycle. Some of us use sex to fuel a low self-worth; the acceptance of another while engaged in a sexual act makes us feel loved. This is short-lived and soon we feel regret. While the act of sex is prevalent in most cases of sex addiction, a sex addict may also form an addiction to love and relationships where the relationships are unhealthy or a codependency is active.

The questions below will help you to decide if it would be advisable to seek further advice; if you answer the questions honestly and you answer yes to three or more then you may have a problem.

  Yes No
1.    Are you involved in a secretive relationship or have sexual encountersthat you do not disclose to another?
     
  Yes No
2.    Has your sexual desire ever led you to have sex with a person or at a place that you would not ordinarily consider appropriate?
     
  Yes No
3.    Do you use sexual fantasy to escape from your feelings and thoughts?
     
  Yes No
4.    Do you actively seek out arousing material in magazines or on the internet on a regular basis?
     
  Yes No
5.    When you are unhappy or anxious, do you turn to sex to feel better?
     
  Yes No
6.    Are you disinterested with the other person following a sexual encounter?
     
  Yes No
7.    Do you feel guilt, shame or remorse after a sexual encounter?
     
  Yes No
8.    Is there a destructive pattern to your relationships that repeats with each new partner?
     
  Yes No
9.    Have you been increasing the variety and frequency of sexual encounters to achieve the same effect as previously?
     
  Yes No
10.    Do you indulge in voyeurism, exhibitionism, prostitution and other less ordinary practices?
     
  Yes No
11.    Do you deliberately have multiple relationships simultaneously and don’t like the thought of losing any of these partners?
     
  Yes No
12.    Do any of your sexual encounters or relationships contradict your own moral code and beliefs about right or wrong?
     
  Yes No
13.    Have you pursued a sexual relationship despite knowing that the consequences would be harmful to you or someone else?
     
  Yes No
14.    Do you ignore the risk of disease, unwanted pregnancies, arrest or physical danger in the pursuit of sexual encounters?
     
  Yes No
15.    Does your continued sexual behaviour leave you feeling hopeless, depressed and trapped?

 

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