Sex addiction refers to various sexual behaviors that the addict is unable to put an end to despite the negative and harmful consequences. The uncontrollable addiction pattern can be understood as a dysfunctional way of dealing with posttraumatic stress disorder and as a regulation of the inner feeling of shame, which are one of the most common aftereffects of trauma following sexual abuse. For the victim, sexual abuse is a deep trauma whose consequences are felt long after the event itself. By engaging in uncontrollable sexual behavior, the addict is caught in a continuous cycle of abusive relationships (they may be the abuser themselves or, the reverse, they may be searching for abusive partners). However, the addict truly and subconsciously desires a redemptive relationship that would restore their feeling of self-worth, fill the void, and take away the burden of their painful past.
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