Can you recover from sex and porn addiction?

The topic of sex addiction has been debated in terms of whether it is an addiction in the true sense at all.

Considerable controversy surrounds the diagnosis of “sex addiction.” It’s been excluded from the fifth edition of the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” (DSM-5),

Let us consider some definitions.

‘Compulsive sexual behaviour disorder is characterized by persistent and repetitive sexual impulses or urges that are experienced as irresistible or uncontrollable, leading to repetitive sexual behaviours, along with additional indicators such as sexual activities becoming a central focus of the person’s life to the point of neglecting health and personal care or other activities, unsuccessful efforts to control or reduce sexual behaviours, or continuing to engage in repetitive sexual behaviour despite adverse consequences (e.g., relationship disruption, occupational consequences, negative impact on health). 

This is a very specific definition and helps us to identify the behaviours and consequences of “sexual addiction”.

An alternative definition (the one below) focuses on the pleasure-seeking behaviour.

Addiction is a thought process: as long as there is pleasure-seeking, there is addiction. Take pornography addiction as an example; when one consumes pornography, one takes great pleasure from it; the image and sound of the pornography trigger sexual sensations, which is pleasure-seeking.

There is only addiction, not addiction to something; the essence of the addiction matters more than “something”.

However is it helpful or useful to diagnose or classify a common human need as an addiction?

Perhaps the best way to differentiate is to use a step 1 analysis.

Is the person powerless over the behaviour and has the person’s life become unmanageable as a result?

For some people, sex addiction can be highly destructive and the consequences result in considerable difficulties and can negatively impact a person’s physical and mental health, personal relationships, quality of life, and safety. Just as the overuse of alcohol and drugs can do.

The prevalence is said to be somewhat common (although statistics are inconsistent), and some argue that it’s often not diagnosed.

One of the characteristics may be the secrecy of behaviours, in which the person with the disorder becomes skilled at hiding their behaviour and can even keep the condition secret from spouses, partners, and family members. They may lie about their activities or engage in them at times and places where they won’t be found out.

But sometimes symptoms are overt and easily spotted.

• chronic, obsessive sexual thoughts and fantasies
• compulsive relations with multiple partners, including strangers
• Prostitution
• Watching or consuming pornography excessively
• Masturbation or sexual fantasy
• Exhibition or voyeurism
• lying to cover behaviours
• preoccupation with having sex, even when it interferes with daily life, productivity, work performance, and so on
• inability to stop or control the behaviours
• putting oneself or others in danger due to sexual behaviour

Enjoying sexual activity is not a sign of sex addiction and there should be no guilt around positive and mutually consenting sexual activities. Also, be aware that differences in the level of sexual interest and or activities between partners do not indicate any form of sex addiction.

What are the treatments for sex addiction and porn addiction?

Inpatient treatment programs

There are a number of inpatient treatment centres including Crossroads Recovery Centre that offer sex addiction recovery programs. It may be necessary and advisable to remove people from their daily lives to help them regain control of their lives and impulses and start healing. These types of programs typically include in-depth individual and group therapy sessions.

12-step programs

Programs such as Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (SAA) follow the same recovery model as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). They can be very helpful for addressing sex addiction.

Cognitive behavioral therapy

This type of therapy can help a person identify triggers for sexual impulses and ultimately teach them how to alter behaviours. This is achieved through one-on-one sessions with a registered and qualified sex therapist.

Medication

Some people may benefit from a course of drug therapy. Certain antidepressants might help alleviate urges (which is separate from the potential side effects of some antidepressants that can cause decreased libido or impair other aspects of the sexual experience).

What’s the prognosis for porn and sex addiction?

The person addressing sex addiction is often confronted by a unique set of challenges. They may be engaging in behaviours that put their relationships, their own safety and health, and the health of their partner in jeopardy. At the same time, sex addiction is considered a controversial diagnosis and it’s lacking diagnostic criteria as well as evidence-based treatments.

Contact Crossroads Recovery Centre for help.

Stories of Recovery

• The encouragement, love and support from the team at Crossroads allowed me to eventually see that I was worth something - that my life could be turned around and that I could accomplish the things that had long been a forgotten dream.
  Oliver VG
  Read more
• On the last day of my stint at Crossroads I could only express gratitude towards all who works there. A wise councillor once commented on my question when one is ready for rehab by explaining that when one is ready for rehab, rehab is ready for you.
  Johan B
  Read more
• I was lost and my soul was broken until I ended up at Crossroads and was introduced to the Twelve Steps. With the help of their excellent staff and amazing support I have recently been clean for 18 months, I could not have done it without them!
  Carla S
  Read more
• "Just for today I am more than three years in recovery. I have Cross Roads to thank for this wonderful gift. Cross Roads helped me to set a firm foundation in my recovery on which I can continue to build."
  Angelique J
  Read more

Read more

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High Stakes Recovery

It often takes extra ordinary circumstances to get a gambler to seek help. This particular addiction pushes many deeper into depression than many others. The sheer sense of loss that is experienced by these individuals time and time again after binging often only serves to push them further into it.

We are not dealing with men and women who are driven to win, we are dealing with the insidious insanity of a never ending pursuit of a high that releases serotonin several times the amount of cocaine.

The withdrawal from this addiction is similar as the extreme depression that one experiences as a result of this particular high also acts to further insnare them.

Ultimately trapped and tortured by any means of escape, the depression, the self loathing and pity, the entitlement, the disregard, the guilt and the shame. We are not dealing with men and women driven by a desire to win, the occasional feeling of trying to win their money back or double their income is a delusion that many gamblers have.

The real driving force is the pursuit, it highlights a common factor of many addictions. This is that many addicts are already under the influence long before they have used. It is not the drug but the sensation of having a means to acquire some relief from stressors originating from a extreme sensitivity to life. Gambling addiction is the ultimate embodiment of this, the pursuit itself giving the addict even more reasons to keep running from life and to keep seeking relief. It rewrites their entire existence around the concept of having financial means. This is intensified by the despair, guilt and shame.

What is the best treatment

Self-esteem evaluation

Ideally the best form of therapeutic treatment along with 12 Step treatment is self esteem evaluation and reconstruction. This is due to the heavy appeal that the pursuit of money is a means to establishing confidence and capabilities in gambling addiction.

Financial accountability

Another effective therapeutic tool is financial accountability, ironically gambling addicts perpetuate a cycle of guilt, shame, suicidal ideation and depression to in term perpetuate their own addiction and the belief systems around it. Therefore their motivational structure needs to be reformed shifting the focus from an over reliance on extrinsic motivational attribution to intrinsic. This will instil a permanent mechanism for the gambling addict to grow their self esteem and work on their intra personal relationship with themselves. Essentially enabling them to begin to regulate themselves, their lives and their resources to live it better, eliminating their drive to create unmanageability and enhancing their capacity to maximise their life experience without turning to addictive indulgence.

Contact us today for help.

Stories of Recovery

• The encouragement, love and support from the team at Crossroads allowed me to eventually see that I was worth something - that my life could be turned around and that I could accomplish the things that had long been a forgotten dream.
  Oliver VG
  Read more
• On the last day of my stint at Crossroads I could only express gratitude towards all who works there. A wise councillor once commented on my question when one is ready for rehab by explaining that when one is ready for rehab, rehab is ready for you.
  Johan B
  Read more
• I was lost and my soul was broken until I ended up at Crossroads and was introduced to the Twelve Steps. With the help of their excellent staff and amazing support I have recently been clean for 18 months, I could not have done it without them!
  Carla S
  Read more
• "Just for today I am more than three years in recovery. I have Cross Roads to thank for this wonderful gift. Cross Roads helped me to set a firm foundation in my recovery on which I can continue to build."
  Angelique J
  Read more

Read more

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Is Crystal Drugs Common in South Africa?

“Crystal” or “Meth” refers to the drug Methamphetamine commonly found in South Africa. Crystal Meth is a potent central nervous system stimulant drug that is mainly used recreationally. It is a highly addictive synthetic psycho-stimulant that increases energy and feelings of euphoria, among other physiological effects. It is locally referred to as “tik” due to the “ticking” sound produced when smoked.

Where does it occur most?

The prevalence of Crystal is highest in the Western Cape Province, and its impact has been felt the worst within the Cape Flats over the past fifteen years. Crystal has exceeded the prevalence of more commonly used drugs such as Marijuana, Mandrax and Ecstasy; and is perceived as the fastest growing addictive substance ever introduced into the South African market.

According to Deborah Yurgelun-Todd, a professor of psychiatry at The Brain Institute of the University of Utah (2011) Crystal has become an epidemic among youth in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. According to the South African Medical Research Council estimates suggest as many as 200,000 methamphetamine users in Cape Town, with 70% of those users under 20 years of age. The majority of teenagers found to be seeking drug treatment and rehabilitation in Cape Town have mainly been using Crystal.

Other places in South Africa

Outside of the Western Cape studies have shown  that crystal meth has gained a foothold in eSwatini, Lesotho, Botswana, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Uganda and Kenya. South Africa in particular is a major Crystal consumer market. Research also has shown  that Crystal  is the first or second most common drug of choice in most South African provinces. Specifically, in 2020 tests of wastewater in two sites in the East Rand for residual methamphetamine waste  found that estimated Crystal use levels were among the highest reported in the world. This suggests that the number of people who use Crystal in South Africa, may be far higher than national drug and health programme monitoring than we currently believe. There is a strong and growing demand for crystal meth in Africa, and meth is contributing to meeting this need.”

Stories of Recovery

• The encouragement, love and support from the team at Crossroads allowed me to eventually see that I was worth something - that my life could be turned around and that I could accomplish the things that had long been a forgotten dream.
  Oliver VG
  Read more
• On the last day of my stint at Crossroads I could only express gratitude towards all who works there. A wise councillor once commented on my question when one is ready for rehab by explaining that when one is ready for rehab, rehab is ready for you.
  Johan B
  Read more
• I was lost and my soul was broken until I ended up at Crossroads and was introduced to the Twelve Steps. With the help of their excellent staff and amazing support I have recently been clean for 18 months, I could not have done it without them!
  Carla S
  Read more
• "Just for today I am more than three years in recovery. I have Cross Roads to thank for this wonderful gift. Cross Roads helped me to set a firm foundation in my recovery on which I can continue to build."
  Angelique J
  Read more

Read more

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How is Tik taken

Understanding how is Tik taken is important because it is a highly addictive psychostimulant widely used as a party drug. It gives users an intense feeling of euphoria but carries a very high risk of addiction. Tik is the common name for the drug, also known as Glass, Crystal Meth, Methamphetamine, Crystal and Ice. It has gained popularity due to its potency and the fact that it is easily available.

Tik usually comes in a translucent, crystalline form that often resembles tiny shards of glass. Depending on what the Tik has been cut or processed with and can appear cloudy or have some colouring to it.

Crystal meth can be taken in a variety of ways, it can be smoked, ingested, injected and snorted:

Smoked:

The most common way of taking Tik is by smoking it. The Tik is heated using a glass pipe and the vapour is inhaled. Glass pipes can be bought and are surprisingly easy to get a hold of. Users have also been known to fashion pipes using household items including light bulbs. This way of taking the drug does produce an intense rush and euphoric high.

Ingested:

This is quite straight forward, the Tik is directly ingested through the mouth

Injected:

The Tik is diluted with a small amount of water and injected using a syringe directly into the viens. When a user first starts injecting a small amount of the drug is enough to produce an intense rush and euphoria. But as tolerance builds up more and more of the drug is needed to produce the same high. Injecting carries the most severe consequences for the body, such as infection, heart problems and the risk of stroke.

Snorting:

Tik is crushed into more of a powder form and snorted using a short straw, rolled up bank note or piece of paper. The high from this is less intense than injecting or smoking, but still has consequences to the body. Damage to the septum, continuous runny nose and damage to the naval cavities.

Smoking and injecting produce the quickest and most intense “high” and are generally the most common ways of using Tik. Because of the intensity of Crystal Meth it has become a favourite in the party scene but with Tik things can change very quickly and what started as recreational use moves on to addiction.  If you are concerned that a loved one could be struggling with Tik, it is important that you seek out professional help. Concerns can usually be confirmed with physical evidence such as syringes, glass pipes, rolled up bank notes or cut starws.

FAQs and Answers

1. What is Tik made of?
   Tik is the street name for crystal meth, a drug made from methamphetamine and chemical additives, which may include harmful substances.
2. How does Tik make you feel?
   Tik gives an intense rush of euphoria and increased energy, but it also causes anxiety, aggression, and rapid mood swings.
3. Is Tik more dangerous when smoked or injected?
   Both methods are highly dangerous. Smoking causes immediate but short-lived highs, while injecting carries the greatest risk of infections, heart damage and overdose.
4. Can Tik cause addiction after one use?
   Yes, Tik is highly addictive, and even one use can trigger dependency due to its strong effects on the brain’s reward system.
5. How long does Tik stay in your system?
   Tik can remain in the body for several days, with detection in urine for up to a week, depending on the frequency of use.
6. What are the signs someone is using Tik?
   Signs include extreme energy, loss of appetite, erratic behaviour, physical evidence such as pipes or syringes, and rapid weight loss.
7. Can Tik use cause permanent damage?
   Yes, long-term Tik use can cause severe brain damage, heart disease, stroke, dental decay, and permanent psychological issues.
8. Where can someone get help for Tik addiction?
   Help is available from medical professionals, addiction counsellors, and rehabilitation centres that specialise in substance abuse recovery.

Stories of Recovery

• The encouragement, love and support from the team at Crossroads allowed me to eventually see that I was worth something - that my life could be turned around and that I could accomplish the things that had long been a forgotten dream.
  Oliver VG
  Read more
• On the last day of my stint at Crossroads I could only express gratitude towards all who works there. A wise councillor once commented on my question when one is ready for rehab by explaining that when one is ready for rehab, rehab is ready for you.
  Johan B
  Read more
• I was lost and my soul was broken until I ended up at Crossroads and was introduced to the Twelve Steps. With the help of their excellent staff and amazing support I have recently been clean for 18 months, I could not have done it without them!
  Carla S
  Read more
• "Just for today I am more than three years in recovery. I have Cross Roads to thank for this wonderful gift. Cross Roads helped me to set a firm foundation in my recovery on which I can continue to build."
  Angelique J
  Read more

Read more

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