another article on sex addiction

[snugglekitty]

While perusing the website of the fabulous Annie Sprinkle, I ran across this article. It seemed like an interesting followup to my post of a few months ago.

ETA: I was pondering the article while in the shower, especially with its focus on the idea of sex addiction stemming from a sex-negative mindset. It was occurring to me that a lot of the stuff on that list, if applied to something other than sex, would be immediately viewed as normal. Call it addiction to work, as an example. I've felt degraded at work way more than I ever have during sex, felt out of control of my work choices, etc. I've used work as an escape from my problems. I've subscribed to magazines about my work. But the difference is, everyone agrees that work is good (except for the Ice People) so nobody thinks there's a problem.

Comments

[arachne8x.livejournal.com]

Reading your later comment about work I am not sure I entirely agree. I think the problem is not that people think work is "good" but that it is "necessary" and that the negative stuff that you mention is par for the course. I am actually really glad that people think that feeling degraded, out of control and depressive about sex is less accepted. I hope that people mostly don't feel that way about sex, or at least that it isn't considered healthy if you feel that way very frequently.

In addition I think that most of the time that I experience the negative things listed above at work, that indicates that I need to find a healthier place for me to work.

[lady-anemone.livejournal.com]

I am actually really glad that people think that feeling degraded, out of control and depressive about sex is less accepted. I hope that people mostly don't feel that way about sex, or at least that it isn't considered healthy if you feel that way very frequently.

Well, I don't disagree about that. In fact, I'd take it a step further and say that I wish people only had the sex they wanted, in situations where they felt safe and respected.
But, having EVER had unsafe sex or felt regret after sex is not necessarily a sign of dysfunction, in my view. People do dumb things, without being dumb or insane. Plus, sometimes things just don't work out the way you want them to. We learn from our mistakes, and how we do our sex lives is just one example of that.

[arachne8x.livejournal.com]

Agreed, I think we share a common view point on this issue.