Seeing The Symptoms Of Arousal Addiction

man-showing-arousal-addiction-symptoms

6 Min Read

Contents

What Is Arousal Addiction?
Is Arousal Addiction The Same Thing As Porn Addiction?
How Do I Know If I Have An Arousal Addiction?
Damage Arousal Addiction Can Cause
Is There Anything I Can Do About Symptoms Of Arousal Addiction?
Takeaways Regarding The Symptoms Of Arousal Addiction

We live in a world where nearly anything you want to find can be found online.

Pink cat? Yep.

Aztec artifacts? Yep, those too.

Erotic images and porn?

Absolutely! And with less effort than the pink cat.

This level of accessibility has led to many things, some good and some bad. One of the bad is an increase in arousal addiction.

The symptoms of arousal addiction, however, can be tricky to see. They creep in overtime and start to feel somewhat normal unless you know what to look for.

What Is Arousal Addiction?

Arousal addiction and its symptoms aren’t an entirely new phenomenon. But problems with arousal addiction and similar afflictions have become increasingly problematic in recent years.

Many find the behaviors stemming from arousal addiction too embarrassing to talk about. They may even be unaware of what they’re really dealing with.

As a result, arousal addiction and it’s symptoms typically go untreated and grow, disrupting life and relationships.

Many of us have heard of sex addiction or porn addiction, but arousal addiction is different and rarely discussed, leaving many unaware that it even exists.

So, what is it?

Simply put, arousal addiction is one form of compulsive behavior that makes a person crave stimulating experiences (often sexual, but not always).

These can be,

Indulging in sexual fantasies
Looking at sexually stimulating pictures
Reading sexually provocative material
Viewing porn
Certain types of online games
Dangerous or thrill-seeking behavior or hobbies
Constant need for things that are new, different, or challenging

Or anything else that creates a rise in dopamine, creates excitement, and stimulates interest or arousal.

The more exposure a person has to these stimuli the harder it can become to feel satisfied. This then leads to a need for more and more, leading to a ratcheting up of unhealthy behavior.

Over time, arousal addiction can make healthy relationships, especially sexual relationships, nearly impossible and cause disruption to many other areas of life as well.

Is Arousal Addiction The Same Thing As Porn Addiction?

Although porn addiction and arousal addiction are both damaging compulsive sexual behaviors, they aren’t exactly the same thing.

Porn addiction is characterized by the obsessive watching of and increasing need for pornographic material in order to become sexually aroused. For men it can lead to the inability to get or maintain an erection without porn, and a need for more and more porn to produce the same stimulation.

Porn addiction, however, is generally limited to the use of porn itself. Arousal addiction can go further.

Arousal addiction symptoms when it comes to sexual behavior can include watching porn and lead to porn addiction, but they also incorporate behaviors that can go beyond just watching porn. People with arousal addiction may feel compelled to engage in the following:

Voyeurism
Visiting strip clubs
Watching live sex cams
Sexually provocative online games
Sexually charged conversations or sexting
Excessive masturbation

When these arousal addiction symptoms and behaviors go unchecked they can lead to unsafe and irresponsible sexual experiences like,

Meaningless sex with acquaintances or strangers
Multiple partners
Visiting prostitutes

What both porn addiction and arousal addiction have in common is that they can each be very disruptive and cause enormous damage to a person's life and relationships.

How Do I Know If I Have An Arousal Addiction?

A desire for excitement and stimulation isn’t by itself a bad thing. But taken to the extreme, especially when it comes to sexual behavior, it can be damaging in many ways.

So, how do you know if your behaviors rise to the level of arousal addiction?

Ask yourself the following questions:

Do you find yourself preoccupied by sexual fantasies and unable to keep focus due to intrusive sexual thoughts?
Does sexual stimulation feel like a reasonable solution to boredom or loneliness?
Do you make choices to spend time alone with your thoughts or sexually stimulating material rather than with family, friends, or other social endeavors?
Have you missed work or failed to complete certain tasks because of your interest in sexually arousing activities?
Is your decision making compromised by your desire to be sexually aroused?
Has your behavior become more and more risky or dangerous because of your need to chase sexual arousal?
Have you begun to feel out of control or unable to control your urges?

Answering yes to any of these symptoms can mean that you have, or are in danger of having, an arousal addiction.

If you’ve answered yes to more than one question then it’s very likely you’ve developed an addiction, or at minimum have a problem that you need to address.

Damage Arousal Addiction Can Cause

Some of you may be rolling your eyes thinking,

What’s the issue? These arousal addiction symptoms are harmless, right?”

Wrong.

“I’m not hurting anyone.”
“It’s private and no one’s business.”
“It’s normal – everyone likes sex.”
“It’s not illegal, so it’s fine.”
“It’s not as bad as drugs or alcohol.”

These are statements and excuses used by people dealing with arousal addiction. They’re also common sentiments for people with a porn addiction as well.

What else do those responses have in common?

They’re all false.

Any addiction is damaging.

Having an addiction means a person’s behavior is unhealthy and they’re no longer able to control their urges.

Dr. Kurt works with people dealing with addiction on a weekly basis. In his experience,

There's more to what makes an arousal addiction a problem than you may realize. Yes, it can make your life out of balance and lead to other problems, such as conflict with a partner. But the deeper issue is why you're doing the associated behaviors. What's the reason or motivation other than 'it just feels good'? I ask people to think about how they're 'using' it. It serves a purpose. There are reasons why they don't feel good and need the high of arousal. Discovering the answers is what's necessary to truly get control over this, as well as any other addiction.”

Many people mistakenly believe that compulsive sexual behavior that isn’t deviant or illegal is a no harm no foul situation. They may also believe that behind closed doors everyone else is doing the same thing, so their behavior is normal.

Unfortunately, neither of these things are true and the damage these behaviors cause is very real.

Arousal addiction can prevent a person from having normal, healthy relationships. It can also give a person a false sense of what “normal and healthy” looks like.

An arousal addict often,

Becomes secretive
Lies about their activities
Disengages from loving behavior
Engages in risky behavior

None of which is conducive to maintaining stable relationships.

If in a relationship, the addict’s partner will suffer as well.

The additional stimulation needed by an arousal addict can leave their partner feeling inadequate, lonely, and unloved.

The eventual consequences if this situation isn’t addressed can be depression, separation, or divorce.

Arousal addiction can also cause problems at work. The desire for stimulation can be so strong that it can lead to failing to complete tasks or even missing work. There’s also a possibility of inappropriate behavior toward co-workers if urges become evident in comments or conversations.

For the addict themselves,

Anxiety
Depression
Shame
Loneliness

are all very real concerns.

And, very sadly, because most compulsive behaviors, especially those of a sexual nature, go undiscussed, these problems can become so severe that they may put a person at risk of suicidal behavior.

Still think arousal addiction symptoms are no big deal?

Is There Anything I Can Do About Symptoms Of Arousal Addiction?

If you’re beginning to come to terms with the possibility there’s a problem, you’re probably also wondering if there’s anything you can do about it.

The good news with any addiction is that once you’ve recognized it as an issue, you’re now in a position to start to make changes. No addiction needs to be the permanent state of things.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that breaking your addiction will be easy or happens overnight. In fact, it can be really difficult – especially for sexually oriented addictions.

Although it may feel too embarrassing to discuss, the path to a change in behavior and a real resolution requires discussing what’s being experienced.

If you’re not quite ready for that, however, there are some things you can do to start making changes on your own.

Avoid things that inspire or trigger your urges. This means becoming deliberately aware of what your triggers are.
Look for a suitable substitute for your urge. Exercise, writing, even chewing gum can distract you from your desire to engage in sexually stimulating situations.
Make an effort at creating personal connections with people that have nothing to do with sexual stimuli.
Take a break from sex. If you’re in a relationship where sex is a component, this may require a conversation with your partner in order to be understood.

Be aware though that if your arousal addiction symptoms are overwhelming, these efforts may not be enough without the support of a counselor.

Counselors who specialize in these areas can help and are adept at taking the shame and embarrassment out of the situation too.

Takeaways Regarding The Symptoms Of Arousal Addiction

Arousal addiction is tricky. What seems harmless initially can snowball quickly into an unhealthy pattern of behavior.

If you think you’re seeing symptoms of arousal addiction keep in mind,

An arousal addiction hurts more than just you.
Escalating symptoms of arousal addiction can lead to risky, even dangerous behavior.
Although arousal addiction is often sexual in nature, there are other forms of it as well.

Take comfort in knowing you’re not alone, many others have experienced the same thing.

Understanding this can help reduce feelings of shame and isolation.

Try leaving a comment below - it can be anonymous – and you’ll likely get a response from someone.

Editor's Note: This post was originally published March 24, 2022 and has been updated with new information for accuracy and comprehensiveness.