Is Sex Adiction A Real Disease?

THE DOCTOR IS IN
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LAS VEGAS-Hello America, and how is the world treating you?

To answer a question by Karyn, from Oklahoma., She asked: Is there such a thing as "sexual addiction?" And, what is my opinion on the subject?

So,-sex addiction. Is it for real? Recently Tiger Woods and Jesse James have claimed they are addicted to sex and that is the reason they committed adultery and bedded women other than their spouse. They went so far as to check themselves into a "sex addiction clinic." Does these clinics work? Do they "cure" a sexual addiction?

Karyn, there are many schools of thought when it comes to sex addiction. Some of these clinics that claim to treat and cure sexual addiction use the old tried and true (AA) Alcoholic Anonymous 12 step program using a tweak or two and substituting the word sex for alcohol while using a secular and religious based approach.

There have been many polls attempting to determine if sexual addiction is a psychiatric and/or psychological condition. The so-called experts across the country and world are sharply divided as to if such an ailment exists.

One poll conducted by Mediscape.com had 70 percent of respondents conclude that "sexual addiction" is not a real and valid psychiatric diagnosis. Another poll offered by Womenshealthmag.com showed that 63 percent of those polled actually believed that men just use that excuse to cheat. Those women rejected the idea that a cheater is really a victim or someone suffering from any disease.

To date, there is no such diagnosis that is recognized in the bible of the health professionals. That bible is the (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders.)

Some of the people treating a sexual addiction disorder sometime blame it on a chemical imbalance, usually dopamine,that occurs in the brain and they theorize the chemical provides a chemical high. Many of these practitioners that have treating clinics say that sex addiction is similar to being dependent on a drug.

Personally, I think these people making such statements are wrong. I have not seen, nor is there any evidence after nearly a century that any chemical change can determine if any one has a sexual addiction. The clinic in Mississippi where Tiger Woods sought treatment apparently favors the chemical dependence theory.

My school of thought is that there are those health care professionals that want to have sexual addiction classified and entered into the (DSM) Manual so they can say, "sexual addiction is a disease" so they have something again to provide another ready stream of money for those saying they can treat it.

I have always held the belief that there are a number of so called diseases currently listed in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual that should have never seen the light of day and classified as a disease in the DSM manual. However, once the alleged ailment is listed those diseases can be treated with psycho-pharmaceuticals by a prescribing physician who in turn can make tens of thousands of dollars or more treating an alleged addiction and/or disease while the drug companies make billions of dollars advertising and promoting an alleged cure-all for the ailment.In this case, if the mental health profession has a supposed diagnosis to cite there will be another drug on the market proclaiming a treatment or a magic bullet for sexual addiction.

My point of view is that when a person is classified with an addiction it gives that person license to gain empathy and sympathy from others and that in turn completely allows that person to distance themselves from taking any personal responsibility for their actions. As long as these clinics and doctors who may or may not have a personal or financial agenda continue to prescribe and medicate the person it provides a clear and present excuse for the person to avoid the reality and consequences of their acts while being enabled by both the public and health profession.

I've counseled many people in my lifetime and I have found that during my therapy sessions which usually include talk therapy, clinical hypnosis and group therapy many men tend to blame their ills on a sexual addiction.

I discuss areas in their life from birth to present time and explore any and all reasons why they themselves choose to have sexual intercourse with women other than their spouse. I have found that there are varied reasons for their actions. Here are just a few:

Something out of their past, even going back to their childhood may have affected their psyche; there have been those men that had early and detrimental interaction with family and friends while growing up; some men have been raised in a very dysfunctional family unit where they claimed and adopted the bad habits and behavior of one or more family members; there were some men that observed the behavior of family and friends which condoned adultery and felt that such acts were common place and acceptable; the man wants to prove to himself that he can attract other women and he wants to know other women see him as still handsome and that he has sexual attraction to other women; or, his complaint is that his marriage is in financial and personal or employment difficulties and he wants to look elsewhere for comfort; he may fear a pending divorce; the man is bored with his marriage and his sex life with his spouse usually saying it is the "same old, same old"; there are those men that are financially comfortable and well off and they love the power of money and know they can have sex with other women because the women have dollar signs in their eyes and the mans belief is money can get them anything they want. These type of men feel entitlement. They have no qualms about expressing that they feel they can have the sex because of their power and their money. There are many rich men in business and politics that exploit this power,---until they get caught.

After being outed these wealthy, powerful men look for a rationalization and there are many in the health community that are ready and willing to act as an enabler to the man and provide a crutch and excuse for the man and often provide a chemical solution by prescribing medications and then state that the man is sick with a disease and requires a rehab clinic. I disagree with that approach.

These men have to face their own reality and be responsible for their dysfunctional behavior. These acts that the man commits are not a disease. I submit that the sexual acts that these men knowingly commit are acts of poor, bad, irresponsible BEHAVIOR.

These men consciously decided to "behave badly" for whatever reason. They know what they are doing is wrong but they decided to choose the wrong path. That is where people like me come in. It is my job to use my therapy techniques to correct their bad, dysfunctional behavior and point out to them ways to correct that behavior while having them acknowledge the areas where they are running amok.

Once the man actually sees where he is using inappropriate behavior to satisfy his own sexual gratification we can actually begin to change his behavior for the better which usually will allow him to get a grip on his life and formulate ways to improve his life and live it to the fullest by avoiding the pitfalls that caused him to commit adultery.

Men watch porn or they go to a prostitute BECAUSE they want too. They have sex with women in addition to their spouse, BECAUSE they want too. Then when caught in those acts, they immediately look for a rationale and that rationalization rears its ugly head as: "I'm addicted, I need help." Help Me!

After being caught with their pants down and their cries of "I'm addicted" they enter a so-called sexual addiction clinic.In addition to unproven drug and medication therapy for a condition that "is not" recognized these clinics sometimes use a technique of porn movies that are shown over and over again to the alleged person suffering from sex addiction so as to desensitize any sexual urges. Does it help? I don't think so. These half baked treatment ideas are akin to treating the sexual pervert, pedophile and predator.

A sexual pervert, pedophile or predator continue to molest and abuse small children over and over again...until they are caught. Once again, they do it because THEY WANT TOO. They like what they are doing, they enjoy the sexual acts. They already know that once they are caught they will be sent to a facility where they are also given a treatment of watching movies and other programs to desensitize their urges.

These sexual pedophiles and predators also receive treatments by having a plethysmograph (a medical measurement device) attached to their private body part and when the man gets aroused they are subjected to a small electrical shock. Does these treatments work on the sexual predator? A resounding "NO."

It has been shown over and over again that a pedophile or predator cannot be "cured." These people actually like what they are doing. It's pleasure for them. Usually when the sexual predator is released from treatment they revert back to their old ways and commit sexual assaults again until they get caught again.

So, treatment for someone saying that they are a sex addict and proclaim that they have a disease? Personally, I think not. For that man claiming he has a sex addiction I suggest that he has to face his own failing and realize that he, in fact, does not have an ADDICTION, but instead, has a PROBLEM,a problem of his own making. What do you do with a problem? You solve a problem. We all learned that from first grade and we all know how to solve problems and we do that every day throughout our entire life. Granted, a person may need help solving a problem just as a student needs help solving a problem from their teacher in school but the problem can be and should be solved. That's where people like me enter the picture. We help you see your problem, we help you analyze your problem and we help you SOLVE your problem.

In conclusion - personally I side with the camp of professionals around the world that believe that a "sexual addiction" diagnosis is only a way for someone to rationalize their bad behavior and does not want to correct their own failings.

Remember, when dealing with the psyche and the mind in general and when all of the opinions, any diagnosis, explanations and reasoning presented by the psychiatrists and psychologists is all said and done, "it's all SUBJECTIVE." The mental health profession is a profession rift with "I think" and "In my professional opinion" along with other vague statements that cannot provide a definitive answer to any individuals " state of mind" and does not offer with any medical certainty any conclusions as to what another person is thinking.

There are those in the mental health community that say psychiatry and psychology is a SCIENCE. I take issue with that view. I submit that psychiatry and psychology is more of an ART instead of science. To prove my point,--just look at all of the battles that occur in the judicial system and played out in courtrooms all across this country each and every day. It's the battle of the so-called experts who command fees from at least $5,0000 to $10,000 a day for their testimony. When people say, "It's not about the money", my reply would be: "It's always about the money." - And, that's my opinion. People, draw your own conclusions. You decide.

Bradley W. Kuhns, Ph.D., O.M.D.
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Dr. Kuhns can be reached by e-mail at:
bradleykuhns@gmail.com