Many question whether a person’s sexual behaviors can be addictive. The American Society of Addiction Medicine defines addiction as “…a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory, and related circuitry. Dysfunction in these circuits leads to characteristic biological, physiological, social, and spiritual manifestations. This is reflected in an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other behaviors.” Historically, when we observe any addictive behavior, the following five characteristics manifest themselves: Inability to consistently abstain Impairment in behavioral control Cravings or increased “hunger” for drugs or rewarding experiences Diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships A dysfunctional emotional response Thus, when we are referring to sexual addiction, we are referring to behaviors that match these criteria. For more information and a deeper understanding of sexual addiction and compulsivity, we recommend reading Dr. Kevin Skinner’s book, Treating Sexual Addiction: A Compassionate Approach to Recovery.