Addiction

[arthur2647]

I'm just a pre-med here but i have an interesting question regarding addiction. I'm taking a class now called human sexuality and recently we talked about some theories of attraction. We talked about like peakcocks and their eye tails which are attractive because it increases offspring success or something. But also our teacher mentioned sometimes people just like certain features and that is the reason for mating. When I asked about addiction playing a role, he did not have much of an answer.
So I wonder how does physical addiction (sexual) play a role in our attraction?. I feel like through experiences from talking to people that sexual addiction is it's own kind of attraction. I mean some people think im weird but I swear i feel like its crack to some people. I feel that in today's highly technological age it only gets worse with more and more contraceptives out. I'm not saying they are necessarily bad but I think they create a situation in which someone can easily dissociate from their partners and even often lie to themselves. It's getting kind of long but I guess I want to know if sexual addictions are good or do they make people disposable, trash like.

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[Bartelby]

It's getting kind of long but I guess I want to know if sexual addictions are good or do they make people disposable, trash like.

Wow, that took a dark turn pretty quick! I would recommend avoiding using language like this (and honestly avoiding thinking like this). Using that kind of dehumanizing language can lead to hatred and disregard for other people as has occurred time and time again throughout human history.

To get to what I think is your question, sexual addiction is one real form of addiction. It is not the basis for all sexual attraction though. Sexual attraction is a very normal part of the human experience.

As for whether sexual addictions are "good," what do you mean? Is alcoholism or meth addiction good? Human sexuality can be a great part of life, but addictions pretty much by definition cause subjective distress and/or dysfunction. But again, that doesn't make sexual addicts (or other addicts) 'disposable trash.'

 

[whopper]

A problem here is with semantics. Addiction in several medical texts is a problematic use of a psychoactive subtance. Okay, if that's the case then sexual addiction shouldn't be in the lexicon because you're not using a chemical/substance, yet it is in the lexicon.

The current DSM doesn't have sexual addiction as a problem mentioned. There is a Sexual Disorder Not Otherwise Specified that could cover a pattern of sexual behavior that is somehow problematic.

I mean some people think im weird but I swear i feel like its crack to some people.

While I agree with you on this superficially, sex is a very complex issue that works on several levels. Think about it. I'm a straight guy but I got to admit, I get a specific feeling from this pic...

That is different than this pic

Orgasm does involve the nucleus accumbens, as does pretty much any activity that is found to be pleasurable.

While several aspects of sex are similar in many people, several things are also different depending on the situation, culture, or individual.

I do believe there are people who are "addicted" to sex and I put that in quotations becuase again it's not a psychoactive substance but I know you know what I'm talking about. My former best friend was a sex addict (dated about a dozen women in law school and had no idea why he failed out, whenever he failed a class, he'd try to seduce his professor in the hope he'd be excused and yes he even tried to seduce men even though he was straight, had a beeper in a day and age when only drug dealers and medical doctors had them to keep his women in line without the other one finding out, the guy would openly talk about how he was a sexual god and could seduce anyone he wanted while his life was in the craphole).

As a friend (not a professional), I told the guy I thought he had a problem and to get a therapist, and within 3 weeks he's telling me about how this therapist really just wants to sleep with him.

In any case...sex can cause people to have problems. Can it be pathological, yes, but it's a complex issue and can be based on a heck of a lot more than just the act of sex itself but one's self esteem, a lot of psychodynamic issues, and a lot of individual and cultural stuff playing into the mix.

 

[nitemagi]

Current thinking in the area of sex addiction (I have some friends and colleagues that treat this exclusively) seems to conceptualize it like other addictions, in that it gives some superficial satisfaction, but is in many ways a pattern of avoidance of deeper issues. The difference with sex addiction is that it more often relates to issues of significant relationships in childhood (I do not believe that's the case with other addictions).

Addiction (dependence) by definition, is something impairing.
I wouldn't say that sex in general is bad though. Much of the treatment goal over time is to have substantive real relationships.

 

[arthur2647]

Thanks for the replies, and no I don't mean to characterize people as trash. What i meant to say is that with addiction often the thing you are interacting with is not really there. Only your own idea of the feeling is. So no I don't think sex is bad, and I am not angry at people, but I think its strange how our brain allows this manipulation to happen.