They substitute unhealthy relationships for healthy ones. Sexual addiction follows the same progressive nature of other addictions. Sexual addicts struggle to control their behaviors, and experience despair over their constant failure to do so. Their loss of self-esteem grows, fueling the need to escape even further into their addictive behaviors. A sense of powerlessness pervades the lives of addicts.
Estimates range from three to six percent of the population.
Multiple addictions National surveys revealed that most sexual addicts come from severely dysfunctional families. It remains unclear whether one gender has a higher incidence of sexual addiction than the other. As once was the case with alcohol addiction, many people cannot accept the reality that women can become sexual addicts. One of the greatest problems facing female sexual addicts is convincing others that they have a legitimate problem. Yet addicts will often act out sexually in an attempt to block out the very pain of their addiction.