You may have noticed that our website says we treat two primary disorders:

  1. Sex and Porn Addiction
  2. Paired Substance Use and Sexual Behavior

At times, there is confusion about what, exactly, we mean when we talk about paired substance use and sexual behavior. To help with this, Dr. David Fawcett, our VP of Clinical Programming (and also the world’s foremost expert on paired substance use and sexual behavior) has provided a list of the most common variants, with brief explanations of what each of those variants looks like.

  • Chemsex: This is a term primarily used by gay men to describe the use of a variety of drugs (though nearly always including some form of stimulant drugs, such as amphetamines, cocaine, meth, or prescription stimulants) as a way to enhance sexual experience.
  • Paired Stimulant Use and Sex: This is a long-standing pattern of concurrent amphetamine, cocaine, meth, or prescription stimulant use paired with sexual behavior so that one behavior automatically triggers the other. A sexual thought or actual sexual behavior can trigger thoughts of drug use, and vice versa.
  • Fused Drug and Sex Behavior: This is the result of an ongoing pattern of co-occurring drug use and sex to the point where the two behaviors are fused, resulting in one behavior being dependent on the other. This is often characterized by an escalation in both drug use and sexual behavior as tolerance to the intensity builds over time.
  • Cycling Drug and Sex Behavior: This is a pattern where substance use and sexual behavior alternate over a period of time—usually a few days to several months. Sometimes a person engages in one behavior in an attempt to control the other. (“I don’t want to look at porn anymore, so I’ll drink or get high instead.”)
  • Alcohol/Drugs for Sexual Disinhibition: Some individuals use the disinhibiting and confidence-building properties of alcohol and other drugs to overcome fears about sexual desires and behaviors or to overcome feelings of low self-worth in sexual settings.
  • Alcohol/Drugs to Numb Sexual Shame: Some individuals use the dissociative (numbing) properties of alcohol and other drugs to reduce the shame, anxiety, stress, guilt, and depression they feel about their sexual orientation, gender identity, or sexual behaviors in general.
  • Ritualized Drug Use and Sex: This is a ritualized cycle of addiction where the user devotes a great deal of time and energy to planning for drug and sex behaviors—clearing his/her schedule, lining up a supply of drugs and sex partners, creating time for “recovery” after a binge, etc.

If any of these situations sound like you or someone you love, there may be an issue with paired substance use and sexual behavior. If so, Seeking Integrity offers unique programs that can help. To learn more, visit our Treatment Programs page, contact us via email, or call us at 747.234.4325.