“Sex addictions” are behavioural disorders that can severely damage your relationships, marriage and of course your wellbeing. These compulsive behaviours are often compounded by guilt, stigma and shame and can very often go undetected or unacknowledged for years or lie dormant and be re-triggered under specific circumstances.

Sex and porn addictions often include addiction based behaviours such as typical denial and avoidance, loss of control and carry so much shame and guilt that most people don’t seek care until a critical point of crisis occurs.

The underlying drivers of these behaviours stem from a dysregulated understanding of your intimate self or the inability to communicate inside of your intimate relationships. The “lack” or “missing” need for intimacy projects itself as “thrill-seeking” or “dopamine seeking” behaviours can be components of disrupted childhood emotions. The lack of (non-sexual) intimacy or many other situations where a caregiver or significant relationship, may contribute or be contributing to damaging your emotional stability or intimate/sexual identity.

Society often “sees” or “classifies” sex addictions in the extremity of compulsive behaviours such as obsessive compulsions toward porn, prostitution, masturbation, exhibition/voyeurism and molestation. However, we understand that sex and intimacy are incredibly complex human interactions that can develop into many different abnormalities including counter behaviours such as avoidance, denial, diversions or the inability to communicate many internal relationship needs and wants.

Recovery Direct operates a discreet private “sex addiction” rehab centre based in Johannesburg, South Africa

We are here to support you, care and understand, sex addictions are often complex and steeped in guilt and shame, we understand how discreet, confidential, delicate and gentle around these topics.

Getting help with intimate behaviours can be difficult and embarrassing, which is why we place so much emphasis on absolute non-judgmental discretion and helping you as an individual, no matter what the situation.

If not handled discreetly, these critical intimacy conversations can and do become damaging to your relationship, family, career and even health/safety. By avoiding conversations around intimacy, you inadvertently create the climate for deeper disturbances and open the door for psychiatric mood and emotional issues such as depression, anxiety and many substance use disorders.

Whatever the presenting crisis is, Recovery Direct’s team of multidisciplinary counsellors are able to work with you through a broad range of deeply lodged emotions brought about by past and present trauma.

What are the symptoms of sex and porn addictions

If you are addicted to love, sex or pornography, there are certain symptoms that you may experience. Of course, these symptoms vary from person to person but may become problematic when you too easily become involved with “people” emotionally (love), sexually (sex) or voyeuristically (porn). These behaviours are often aligned through intimacy issues where a fear the abandonment in close relationships drives the seeking the “validation” through sexual or emotionally charged and addictive acts. Sex, porn and love have emotions that are linked to the production of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine which acts as the “reward” chemical which further motivates these behaviours on a voluntary or involuntary basis.

Intimacy disorders in relationships may play out through many codependent, passive-aggressive or toxic power struggles of bickering or fighting behaviours which “test” the boundaries or validity and stability of the relationship. Critical relationship communications around intimacy may get muted for many reasons outside of abandonment cycles. Shame, guilt, rejection, past trauma fears and many other circumstances can lead to avoidant behaviours to retain the relationship status quo.

It is important to note here that these are complex social and psychological dynamics which play into many belief systems that could have formed over many years. People with these issues may even attract or stay inside unhealthy or toxic relationships or bounce between relationships or sexualize many feelings like guilt, loneliness, shame or fear.

Physical symptoms of sex addiction and intimacy disorders

There are no direct “physical” symptoms associated with sex addiction, however, common experiences include a feeling of being immobilized due to sexual or emotional obsessions, feelings of guilt and disconnection. Hypersexualised intimacy disorders can find it hard to have to manage genuine intimacy, forming little emotional attachment to their sexual partners. Unattached sexual partners are a “safe zone” in that the outcomes are more predictable.

Intimacy disorder programme overview

Establishing the right foundations to manage your life in recovery is vital. Sex, love and even fantasy can all play a role in healthy relationships and one needs work on. This his includes building and maintaining the motivation, coping strategies, managing thoughts feelings and behaviours and finally, establishing and living a balanced life. Contact one of our counsellors today about your admission.

Treatment methodology

Sex addiction treatment focuses on understanding the addictive behaviours, trauma resolution, building new intimacy boundaries, acknowledging the links to non-progressive behaviours. Codependency and other related disorders are often associated with sex and love addictions and may need their own diagnosis and custom treatment plans.

Recovery Direct intimacy disorder rehab Johannesburg

With South Africa’s top addiction treatment experts, we operate in a tranquil treatment facility that provides a broad variety of therapeutic treatment options for patients. Unique addiction treatment plans are designed for each patient to start them off in the direction toward a sustainable life in recovery.

Why so many people come to Johannesburg’s sex addiction recovery clinics

Recovery Direct patients travel from around South Africa and the globe to attend our primary care treatment rehab based in Johannesburg. The motivation for this is simply that some of the best sex addiction therapists in the world live and work in Johannesburg.

Contact Recovery Direct’s counsellors here.

A flight ticket to South Africa is a small cost in comparison to treatment abroad or treatment that does not work. Johannesburg has long been the recovery destination of choice because of its unique location and world-class therapeutic interventions. Recovery Direct aims to equip patients with the skills necessary to return home free of the addictions and compulsions that controlled their lives before seeking recovery. Our exclusive Johannesburg sexual addiction rehab centre is specially designed around the concept of a holiday away from day to day stressors. This allows patients to focus on and challenge the decisions required to move their lives forward and away from their sexual addictions.