Sex addiction is an escalating obsessive preoccupation with sexual fantasy and behavior where seeking sexual fantasy and sex has become a primary life focus. Over time, casual sex and porn escalates into addiction as the addict struggles to gain control over repetitive and compulsive involvement with strip clubs, prostitution, sensual massage, affairs, anonymous in-person sex, app based hooks-ups, etc. As a result, active sex addicts often lose precious relationships, beloved families and marriages, friends, hobbies, jobs, career and other life goals, due to their highly shameful and hidden addiction.
In today’s digital world, some self described “porn addicts” addicts never actually move beyond ‘pixel sex’ into ‘people sex.’ Such people are addicted to the same fantasy-fueled, sexual intensity based problem as are typical sex addicts, but these folks tend to be younger, more socially isolated and unable to form meaningful sexual or intimate relationships because of their obsession with porn and online sex.