Information & Treatment for Sex or Fetish Addiction

What is a sex addict?

A person who compulsively thinks about, seeks out and engages in sexual activity to an unusual extent. Sex addicts often use sex as an avoidance strategy, paradoxically, to ward off closeness and intimacy by turning it into an act devoid of emotion, depth or lasting connection. As with other forms of addiction, sex addicts can be driven to pursue increasing levels of sexual excess over time as their cravings become harder to satisfy, leading to risky behaviour and more problems with relationships, work or even the law. A sex addiction is less specific than a fetish, which is always precise, and may also be covering up anxiety connected with intimate relationships.

Fetishes and addiction

A fetish is a strong reliance on a particular object, body part or aesthetic for sexual arousal and gratification. Not all sex addicts have fetishes, and not all fetishes are problematic. But they are unique. Even if your special predilection is common — whether it be boots, leather, rubber, feet, plush toys or any of a myriad of other possibilities — its function and meaning are particular to you.

Like a phobia, a fetish may have arisen over the course of your development to solve a deeper problem, by fixating energy into a specific object to displace pain or satisfy unmet needs.

Your fetishistic fantasies may be harmless and contain elements of a healthy sex life. But if they’re edging more into the territory of compulsion and sexual addiction, or if it’s starting to adversely affect your relationships, it might be time to seek help.

Do you have any questions for us? Get in touch with us through our online contact form. 

Call Bayside Psychotherapy on (03) 9557 9113 to find out if we’re able to help you. Your call is completely confidential, and there’s absolutely no obligation.

You can also book an appointment by using our online booking form for online appointments. Or, if you prefer, you can book an in-clinic session. 

Where to draw the line

How do you know if your preoccupation with sex or fetishes has become an addiction? Seeking advice in a confidential counselling session can be helpful to assess the extent of the problem. However, obsessive behaviour generally has observable ripple effects:

• Guilt about sexualaddiction
• Lying or keeping secrets
• Loss of control
• Feeling depressed
• Anxiety or irritability when you can’t satisfy urges or cravings
• Urges to act irresponsibly, break the law or betray your own moral principles in order to satisfy compulsions
• Neglecting relationships, work, finances and other commitments in favour of indulging in the addiction

What’s the treatment?

It’s important that your treatment doesn’t position your addiction as ‘abnormal’. It shouldn’t be premised on an idea of ‘normal’ at all, because that will likely lead to more shame and repression.

Traditional treatment models regard these addictions as ‘diseases’, rather than symptoms of a deeper problem. This completely ignores your uniqueness of the person and makes it much more likely that relapse will occur.

Depth psychotherapy takes a more comprehensive approach, situating the addiction within a person’s history and aiming to create change by mapping out the purpose it served within the individual’s psyche. Analysis of the development of the compulsion — the triggers, patterns and aftermath — and counselling on diversion strategies, may help you gain control of your urges so you can work on re-establishing a safe and satisfying sex life.

How can Bayside Psychotherapy help?

Our therapists each have different approaches. Depending on the therapist you choose, they may use one of a variety of treatment modalities to endeavour to help you uncover the hidden causes of your sex addiction (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), psychotherapy, neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), hypnotherapy, Buddhist psychotherapy, dream interpretation, mindfulness therapy or counselling).

You can choose either online or-face to-face appointments depending on what is more comfortable and convenient.

How long will sex addiction counselling take?

No two courses of treatments are the same, so the duration of your treatment will depend on you and on the progress you make with your psychotherapist.

We aim to unearth and resolve the root cause, rather than merely offering band-aid fixes. Once you take the first step to address your obsessions, it’s important to stay committed to the therapy process over time, with realistic expectations.

We don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, we’ll recommend the therapist and the treatment modality best suited to your condition, and tailor your treatment to your needs and your progress.

Some people also choose to complement their sessions with a self-hypnosis mp3.