Sexual addiction can be viewed as a normal sex drive that has become obsessive or habitual, to the point that it causes significant distress in the life of the addict and/or those around them. Sexual addiction differs from substance addictions in that the 'high' comes from chemicals released into the brain, rather than from an external source. As the mind becomes accustomed to the release of these chemicals, it searches out for continued sources of that high. This could be from eating, exercising, putting yourself in dangerous situations, or from sexual stimuli. Sexual addiction can take on many forms, including the use of pornography, masturbation, repeated sexual affairs, visiting prostitutes and other sex workers as well as voyeurism. These various forms of sexual addiction have two things in common; the behaviour is done in secret, and the sex addict becomes skilled in hiding this secret life from those closest to him.
The most common forms of sexual addiction include chronic masturbation, obsessive use of pornography and the frequent use of sex workers. A recent study found that approximately 10 per cent of men have a sexual addiction; however this figure is likely to be significantly higher due to the underreporting of participants. The advent of the internet (with its ease of access and ability to remain anonymous) has seen an explosion of people struggling to come to terms with this particular manifestation of addiction.