Sex and Love Addiction (Symptoms)

Yes, love and sex can be addictive—and as destructive, at least socially, as compulsive substance use. The high hinges on physical or psychological arousal, and relationships can be marked by desperation. Successful treatment begins with stress management.

For love addicts, love:

Is all consuming and obsessive
Is inhibited
Avoids risk or change
Lacks true intimacy
Is manipulative, strikes deals
Is dependent and parasitic
Demands the loved one's devotion

Sexual addictions usually are revealed in stages:

Preoccupation: continual fantasies about sexual prospects or situations, which can trigger episodes of sexual "acting-out"
Ritualization: a preferred sexual activity or situation is often stereotyped and repetitive
Compulsion: continual engagement in sexual activity despite negative consequences and desire to stop
Despair: guilt or shame over inability to control behavior or feel remorse
Other behavioral problems, particularly chemical dependency and eating disorders

Next: Causes