Am I a Sex Addict?

by Dr. Bradbury

Question: I don’t want to get into giving too much information, but how do I know if I am a sex addict?

Answer: If your sexual behaviors create legal, relationship, career, emotional or physical consequences, yet you continue to engage in those sexual behaviors anyway, then you may have a sexual addiction. If your sexual thoughts and behaviors take up more time, energy and focus than you would like, but you find yourself justifying those thoughts and behaviors, you may have a sexual addiction. And if those thoughts cause you to persistently act out in ways that go against your core values and beliefs, then you have probably crossed the line into what is referred to as a sex addict. Sex addicts, both men and women often find themselves thinking, “This is the last time that I am going to…”  Yet, they ultimately feel compelled to return to the same or similar sexual behaviors, despite previous commitments to change.

If the above description fits you, I would recommend you seek professional help. And even if the above description doesn’t fit completely, you may want to seek professional help to ease your mind and work through whatever is troubling you that made you think you may be a sex addict. But just to be fair, and so that you are properly informed, psychologists, counselors, social workers, and other mental health professionals are mandatory reporters if you reveal behaviors that are considered a crime against a minor or a vulnerable adult.

Lorin L. Bradbury, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist in private practice in Bethel.  For appointments, he can be reached at 543-3266. If you have questions that you would like Dr. Bradbury to answer in the Delta Discovery, please send them to The Delta Discovery, P.O. Box 1028, Bethel, AK  99559, or e-mail them to [email protected].

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