Sex and Love Addiction | Effects and Treatment

On a physical level, sex and love addiction develop in the same way as other forms of addiction. When you are in love or have sex, the reward system in your brain is activated and releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter which makes you feel pleasure. Over time, the brain becomes accustomed to this feeling and craves it more and more, leading you to become dependent on sex or love to feel good.

One study also found that people with sex addiction may also have higher levels of Oxytocin. This hormone is released during sexual activities and creates a feeling of closeness, security and trust which can reinforce the addictive behaviour.

There can also be underlying psychological causes of sex and love addictions. To some degree, we are all hard-wired to seek out connection and intimacy. But when it comes to sex or love addiction, the causes are often deep-rooted issues such as mental health conditions, unresolved trauma, a history of abuse or neglect or low self-esteem.

People may resort to addictive behaviour like sex or love as a way to cope with uncomfortable feelings or as an attempt to fill an emptiness within themselves. Ultimately, however, sex and love only provide short-term relief if these underlying causes are not addressed and often make the symptoms worse in the long term.

Sex and love addiction can cause significant distress and negatively affect all areas of life.

People with sex addiction put themselves at risk of:

• Unwanted pregnancies
• Sexually transmitted infections
• Putting important relationships in jeopardy by cheating or making sexual demands on partners
• Legal issues due to activities like soliciting prostitutes or risky online behaviour
• Mental and emotional health problems such as depression, anxiety and low self-esteem
• Social isolation
• Financial problems caused by spending too much money on sex or dating partners

People with love addiction can face:

• Difficulty forming or maintaining relationships
• Fear of abandonment
• The excessive idealisation of partners and unrealistic expectations
• Being unable to break off relationships even when it is harmful
• Emotional manipulation of partners
• Putting important relationships in jeopardy by being overly clingy or demanding
• Mental and emotional health problems such as depression, loneliness, anxiety and low self-esteem
• Social isolation
• Legal issues due to stalking, controlling or obsessive behaviour

Due to their complex nature, sex and love addictions require a holistic approach to treatment. This is best done at an inpatient sex and love rehab centre like Recovery Lighthouse where you will be shielded from triggers and distractions and have access to a fully integrated treatment programme. Our sex and love addiction rehab treatment involves a number of evidence-based therapies which have been proven to be effective in treating these conditions, such as:

• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
• Group therapy
• 12-step facilitation
• Individual counselling
• Relapse prevention education
• Holistic therapies
• Family therapy

During your stay in sex and love rehab, you will also have the chance to form helpful peer bonds and gain valuable insights from other people’s experiences. These connections can be pivotal to the recovery process, providing ongoing support and accountability both during sex and love rehab and after treatment has ended.

If you are someone you know needs help with sex or love addiction, get in touch with Recovery Lighthouse today. Our team can provide advice and guidance and answer any questions you have to get you started on the road to lifelong recovery.