While not everybody struggling with a sexual addiction has depression, it certainly isn’t uncommon. Studies do in fact suggest that approximately 40% of individuals diagnosed with an addiction to sex also have a history of mood disorders such as depression.
When it comes to the relationship between the two, it’s often difficult to determine which caused which. Did the depression drive someone to engage in unhealthy sexual behaviors or did sex addiction cause the person to become depressed?
Below we explore the connection between sex addiction and depression.
Understanding sex addiction
There’s a common misconception that individuals who struggle with sex addiction simply have a lack of self-control. The reality is that addiction is an incredibly complex disorder which often involves a number of factors including genetics, environment, family history, neurobiology, and more.
Individuals struggling with sexual addiction repeatedly engage in a dangerous cycle of behaviors despite the negative consequences. It’s a very misunderstood condition because people assume that the person wants sex all the time because they enjoy it. This simply isn’t the case, however.
Sex addiction is often the result of trauma, most commonly experienced in childhood. Stressful situations in adult life, such as losing a job, getting divorced or suffering bereavement can also trigger addiction.
Engaging in sexual activities often brings about feelings of shame and guilt for the person suffering. Despite hurting themselves and potentially others, it feels impossible to stop and so a vicious cycle begins. Regularly experiencing these negative emotions will take its toll on anyone’s mental health and could eventually lead to depression.
Does depression cause sex addiction?
If you struggle with depression, you may turn to drugs, alcohol, sex or gambling in an attempt to cope with the symptoms you’re experiencing. This is especially the case if the depression is undiagnosed and you’re not receiving treatment for it.
Initially, you may find that acting out sexually provides you with relief from the symptoms of depression. You may experience an initial high, it’s a welcome distraction from being stuck inside your thoughts and a sexual encounter can also create a sense of connecting to another person.
As with all addictions, however, behaviors progress in nature and become more and more extreme in order to achieve the same high or fix that you got at the beginning. Once in the cycle of addiction, it’s very difficult to get out. Feelings of negatively may cause you to act out sexually. Initially, you may feel good about it but soon, guilt and shame will kick in, making you feel even worse. This puts those suffering with sexual addiction into a vicious cycle that can be impossible to break without sex addiction therapy.
The desire to continue to pursue sex is also largely down to the production of dopamine. This is a neurochemical which drives the primitive part of the brain known as the reward circuitry. Known as the ‘pleasure chemical,’ its motivational properties are thought to play a role in addiction. It’s very easy to see how someone struggling with depression could become addicted to sex when dopamine temporarily makes them feel better.
Therapy plays an important role in recovering from sex addiction. With many sufferers having experienced trauma or underlying mental health problems, it’s crucial that these issues are identified and dealt with. A trained therapist can help those with sex addiction get to the root of the addiction, overcome other conditions, put coping mechanisms in place, and prevent relapse.
For further information about sex addiction and the different treatment options available, please get in touch with Toronto Trauma and Addiction Counseling in the strictest of confidence and we’ll be happy to help.
