Sex addictions may include one or many unwanted behaviors related to excessive or unusual sexual urges leading to acting out. These urges can be anything from compulsive masturbation, addiction to pornography, public displays of genitalia to acting out with unwilling participants.

  People who suffer from a sex addiction experience an overwhelming sense of powerlessness in the face of their compulsions. When they are not acting out they are fantasizing about doing so. There are various paths by which a person can progress down the road of sexual addiction.

  Most people have some pain or injury that they seek to heal, numb or medicate. When the sexual addiction is active, it usually severely hampers and disturbs truly intimate relationships. It is hard to spend all of the time that the addict puts into their acting out behaviors and still maintain the level of attention that a personal and close relationship requires.

  In recovery, the person has the best chance of maintaining close relationships. Many sex addicts who consider themselves heterosexual will occasionally "cross the line" in the service of their addiction. Sexual addiction covers all sexual orientations, and not all homosexuals or bisexuals are sex addicts.

    There are many support organizations, which help with drug recovery. The most effective support programs are based on the 12-step program. In order to take part in such program the addict must openly proclaim about  his or her  addiction. There must be a readiness to quit, a desire to achieve the same challenge and the intention to seek a relationship with a higher power.

  Education is the necessary element in the recovery process. The sex addicted are often abused as a child. There is high potential for recovery if the partner or spouse is included in the therapy.