43 replies to this topic

[Quaker32]

Dear All,

 

I have decided to join this forum after lurking around for a week or so, and I am glad I am on here. Let me get into it.

 

I am currently into CBT therapy and a 12-step group for sexual addiction (although I am having difficulty with the 12-step format). You might think "wtf" but let me just explain as briefly as I can.

 

Probably related to my messed up past, I have been sexually compulsive for as long as I can remember. My first intrusive sexual thoughts came into my head when I was 8. 

 

I heard about nofap in 2013 but have not been able to quit. I am currently addicted to masturbation (compulsively), porn, prostitutes and some other paraphilia behaviours (nothing illegal). The extremely worrying thing is the progressive aspect of this illness. I progressed onto some weird weird stuff with the prostitutes, and I literally could not fight off the strength of the compulsion. This is far, far stronger than all the class A drugs I used to abuse (I am clean now). 

 

I get the most intense and powerful cravings/urges to "act out" sexually, combined with a mental obsession that is incredibly strong. Last week my cravings were so strong that it felt as if I can feel the pathways in my head on fire, and I was close to vommiting. What disturbs me so much, is the intoxicating chemical high when I engage in these behaviours or even worse, just randomly happens during my day and starts to compel me into my behaviours. The only (very unscientific) way I can describe this, is its like my brain squirting out adrenaline and other chemicals, and my feet go one way whilst my head wants to go another. Thus the war begins.

 

I was suicidal from this, and 2 weeks ago went to see a psychiatrist through the therapy clinic, who prescribed Seroxat (paroxetine), citing studies that showed it was used for OCD and sexual compulsivity. After doing some research, somebody called Prof. Martin Kafka has come up with a "monoaminergic" hypothesis, which partially explains sexual compulsivity. So I kinda get that.

 

Here is my dilemma. I have also been seeing a naturopath, who I heard about from my friend who is also an addict with this problem. I saw the naturopath and he told me that I need to do a saliva home test which he will send off to a lab (Sabre Sciences), and they will come up with a treatment regimen for me based on the results. 

 

He said that he has done with with another sex addict woman. But I want to know, if these saliva neurotransmitter tests are reliable? Or is it rubbish? He said that when he got the test results back for this woman, he could see what the levels were for the n'transmitters and methylation status etc. He used a transdermal cream to get her dopamine levels down back to normal. I think her level was nearly 40000 somethings, which was wayyyyy above the what the lab said was in the normal rangeIs that even safe? (the cream came from the lab). Obviously, the reading of "normal" dopamine came from the lab...which again I question...what makes them right? Also, I thought that in addiction dopamine levels would be lower not higher? My naturopath said that her very high levels meant she was craving porn, sex etc....

 

He also gave me their l-threonate which contains inositol, and advised taking SAM-E supplements. His electrodermal naturopath test indicated I was an under-methylator. I also heard that taking a lot of SAM-E can raise homocysteine which can theoretically have epi-genetic effects. Also, he hasn't said how long I will take the SAM-E for and said that the next saliva test will be in 6 months to see where I am at.

 

I took the paroxetine for a week and got an incredible response off it from day one. I was absolutely shocked. My cravings and sexual obsessions rapidly went down. But I am scared of being on it for a while and then it pooping out. I would hate to be in that situation...which made me think about doing it with the (expensive!) naturopath to avoid this kind of stuff. That's what is making me ambivalent about staying on the SSRI, although it does seem safer and more researched. 

 

Right now, I don't know what treatment path to follow, and I need to make a decision quickly. I've had so many mental health problems that I cannot tolerate another f up. OCD and sexual addiction may be linked to serotonergic dysfunction..and perhaps I have some genetic vulnerability (my family is a bit crazy).

 

I really appreciate you reading my academic essay, and any help I can get. 

 

thank you.

 

 

[eljefe19]

I'll just say I specifically won't touch SSRIs or TCAs because they are notorious for shmurdering people's sex drives. Ask your doctor for some Zoloft instead. Try different one's if need be. They should help your compulsion too. I'm thinking your dopamine system is being pushed to the limit, with stranger and stranger behavior yielding less and less reward. Its sick my addiction was Xanax. The release from anxiety was absolutely better than sex to me. But of course, I burned out. Luckily it happened quickly and I made it out with relatively little damage done. 18 months without one now. You can do this man. 

[Quaker32]

anybody?

[Mind_Paralysis]

I'm sorry, but I have ADD/SCT/CDD so I can't read your first post - it's too long. Can you summarize it in like one sentence, maybe two?

 

With that said... Naturopaths and such are not to be trusted, they're not real scientists or Dr's - they're quacks!

 

Hypersexuality is often caused by one or two, or in combination, faults: excess testosteron or excess Dopamine. The excess dopamine may not be literal either - it could be that you have a naturally increased amount of D3-receptors, for instance, which then sends more signals than for others, with the same amount of dopamine. The D3-receptors is one of the most plausible targets to attack in order to decrease hypersexuality, mainly because D3-agonists (used to be we thought it was D2-agonists) cause hypersexuality.

 

Have you had your testosteron checked? If it's caused by an excess of that you should notice it pretty easily yourself when I think about it - are you aggressive, MUSCULAR and exceedingly hairy? Those are signs of testosterone overload.

 

Anyways, back to the D3-receptors - there is some signs pointing towards the problem being in the D3-receptors in the Pre-Frontal Cortex in perticular, which is the brains very own gating-system, being the source of higher reasoning and impulse-control. (ADHD-ers and Borderliners have problems in this area, and both groups, borderliners in perticular, are prone to hypersexuality) People with brain-damage to this part of the brain often develop hypersexuality as well.

Parkinson's disease treatment may cause impulse-control disorder via dopamine D3 receptors.

http://www.ncbi.nlm....pubmed/25645960

 

Klüver–Bucy syndrome, hypersexuality, and the law

http://www.tandfonli...554790903329182

 

 

You have a few options to bring your sexuality down, I'll list them and then you can give it a look-see and see which one you think will help you.

 

 

1. An SSRI - Paroxetine is reportedly the one most prone to cause sexual dysfunction. (loss of libido, difficulty to have orgasm)

 

Antidepressant-associated sexual dysfunction: impact, effects, and treatment

http://www.ncbi.nlm....les/PMC3108697/

 

2. An antipsychotic (D3 antagonist) - Brexpiprazole, supposedly more inhibiting than Abilify, which is actually known to cause this behaviour in rare cases - more modulating. However, it does have stimulating properties. Hard to say to what extent. I also hits a lot of other receptors, so there will be side-effects, just less than with other antipsychotics.

 

Antipsychotic treatment and sexual functioning: From mechanisms to clinical practice

http://www.rug.nl/re...issertation.pdf

 

 

3. A PFC-modulating medication - Guanfacine - the evidence isn't as clear as the two others that this one will help, however there's some merit at least - it enhances focus and signalling in the PFC by lowering cAMP, thereby increasing rationality. It's used as a medication for the treatment of ADHD.

 

[gamesguru]

bacopa, to a lesser extent, tea seem to blunt arousal and ideation.  Probably due to boosted serotonin, which would be expected to have similar effect as SSRI.  Another approach is glyccheritinic acid, potent inhibitor on testosterone (which eventually cause cognitive issue).  Ginkgo and ginseng reduce impulsivity by regulating dopamine, yet, for the same reason, increase ideation.

 

blunted ideation isn't always bad, like stinky suggests.  The medications are often a two-for-one, blunting psychotic symptoms, and, at the same time, regulating unwanted ideation.

Sexually deviant behavior and schizotypy: a theoretical perspective with supportive data.
Henderson MC1, Kalichman SC. (1990)

Edited by gamesguru, 21 August 2016 - 01:06 AM.

[Quaker32]

I am suffering from sexual addiction and it is progressing. I want to know what my treatment options are. I have heard that SSRIs have some efficacy in treatment of paraphilic and non-paraphilic sex addiction. I am scared of long-term damage and actually making it worse. What happens when they poop out? I have seen some studies saying that naltrexone is effective but I doubt I will get that prescribed to me. 

 

I am seeing a naturopath for other non-related issues. He said he can measure my neurotransmitter levels with a saliva test. Is this accurate or nonsense? He spoke about the lab giving tailored treatment based on the results. A female client he saw was given a transdermal cream to lower dopamine levels and SAM-E supplements to boost serotonin. Again, as in the above, I am scared about how safe this treatment is and how closely monitored I will be. At least with SSRIs, there is stuff in medical journals. Lastly, he has given me magnesium l-threonate with inositol which he says will help my anxiety and help with the urges.

 

There is clearly something very wrong up in my brain and I don't want to mess things up. The "rush" I get from these behaviors is extremely (!!) powerful. It consists of a mental obsession, craving and compulsions to act out. 

 

It can get worse when I take caffeine - so I wont drink it anymore. 

I've tried to summarize it as much as possible.

 

Thanks for the replies so far. 

[Quaker32]

I haven't had them checked in a few years. I am hairy and aggressive but skinny.

 

I want to add something. I have had periods of time of a few weeks and even a few months off from my addiction, but when I returned to it, my behaviors were worse and more extreme than the last time. 

 

In regards to the medication listed, are these tings that require life-long commitment?

Edited by Quaker32, 21 August 2016 - 01:52 PM.

[gamesguru]

Androgenic.

Indian snakeroot lowers dopamine, as does a low tyrosine diet. Bacopa boosts serotonin. That's one naturopathic approach. The saliva tests are never accurate. Blood or urinalysis isn't even accurate. The magnesium and inositol are at least okay.

[Mind_Paralysis]

Do we know which atypical antipsychotic has the strongest, and most selective, antagonistic effects on Dopamine D3-receptors? I tried to check it out before, but I couldn't discern which one is actually considered to have the most of this property.

 

Since D2-antagonism is considered to be the most helpful for psychosis and positive symptoms, I'm thinking the WEAKEST least useful antipsychotic, might be the one with the most D3-antagonism. What do you think guys?

 

EDIT: These drugs would be long-term treatment, at least a couple of years. The problems usually get better with age and psychotherapy though. You probably won't need to stay on the drugs forever. Be prepared for a few years of treatment though - and try to get counselling for your sex-addiction, once you're on medication that is. It will make it easier to take in what the Psychologist will be saying.

 

 

Edited by Stinkorninjor, 21 August 2016 - 02:56 PM.

[Quaker32]

I've been reading around SSRIs for my problem and it is used in sexual compulsivity, but I am scared of the long-term effects, having read some of the threads on here.

 

The naturopath's approach is sounding appealing but I really need to know if it is safe and effective in the long-term.

 

The information in this thread is very very valuable. 

[Mind_Paralysis]

I've been reading around SSRIs for my problem and it is used in sexual compulsivity, but I am scared of the long-term effects, having read some of the threads on here.

 

The naturopath's approach is sounding appealing but I really need to know if it is safe and effective in the long-term.

 

The information in this thread is very very valuable. 

 

I can tell you right now, that there is NO PROOF whatsoever, that the naturopath's method works. If it did, then it would be in wider use, or at the very least in research as treatment.

 

SSRI's work, and out of the drugs I listed, they might actually be the most benign - and hey, if you get long-term PSSD, then I still don't think you need to worry too much about it. Why? Because you're already waaay more sexual than average - say it permanently cuts down your sexual desires, with, oh, say TWO THIRDS - well... you'd probably still be on the same level as the average guy, now wouldn't you?

 

The permanent cognitive side-effects of SSRI's are very uncommon, the risk is very, very low. You take several other far bigger risks every day - every time you go out in traffic, you expose yourself to terrible danger, every drink you take do the same, every puff of weed... they all have higher, or comparable, risks involved.

 

 

Some of the risks involved with SSRI's are actually something you can test for - sexual dysfunction have a few genetic markers you can detect - for instance, I've got a few which suggests slight sexual dysfunction from SSRI's - and you know what? The test was actually correct - turns out I get some dysfunction, but not much.

 

You do the genetic testing through a service like 23andme and then run the results through another service - Promethease. You should then get info on some of the possible sid-effects. (another thing you'll get info on, is if you are a slow, medium, or fast metabolizer - I'm a slow metabolizer of several drugs, which puts me liable for some nasty side-effects. I know how to dose them now though, thanks to the gene-test.)

 

And hey, most of the permanent damage seems to come from higher or medium doses at least, yeah? Well, sexual dysfunction might start affecting you even at lower doses, so if you're worried, don't go with a high dose - only go with enough to see that it lowers your libido to a manageable level - you may not even need to cut it as much as you think - even if it only goes down with 20%, that might be enough.

 

It's gonna' be fine mate. = )

Edited by Stinkorninjor, 22 August 2016 - 03:11 PM.

[Quaker32]

thanks for the reply. 

 

My other main concerns are, what to do if the SSRI poops out. I don't want to start getting on the "ssri merry-go-round" and wake up one day to find that my symptoms have come flooding back in. I dread that. 

 

Also, do SSRIs deplete serotonin in the long-term?

 

Is there anything that I can do about dopamine levels as well? Is it fair to say that my dopamine system is probably messed up as well.

 

Clearly, there is something very wrong in my neural circuitry from the way that I am not able to use my willpower against, repetitive, intrusive compulsions. I may be speculating, but it sounds a bit OCD-ish. 

 

I should add that I was on 10mg citalopram for about 4 years but it did nothing. It was for depression and anxiety but I wasn't properly managed. This time round, I need proper psychiatric care and a competent doctor. 

 

 

[Mind_Paralysis]

thanks for the reply. 

 

My other main concerns are, what to do if the SSRI poops out. I don't want to start getting on the "ssri merry-go-round" and wake up one day to find that my symptoms have come flooding back in. I dread that. 

 

Also, do SSRIs deplete serotonin in the long-term?

 

Is there anything that I can do about dopamine levels as well? Is it fair to say that my dopamine system is probably messed up as well.

 

Clearly, there is something very wrong in my neural circuitry from the way that I am not able to use my willpower against, repetitive, intrusive compulsions. I may be speculating, but it sounds a bit OCD-ish. 

 

I should add that I was on 10mg citalopram for about 4 years but it did nothing. It was for depression and anxiety but I wasn't properly managed. This time round, I need proper psychiatric care and a competent doctor. 

 

I'd like to apologize a bit for the harsh tone at the start of my last post - I've been on edge recently, mainly because I've started seeing some slight clearing of my burnout, so I tried some stimulants again, but I think it's a bit too early. Going stim-less tomorrow again.

 

Right, SSRI's. They deplete your serotonin-levels when you go with high dosing, but that's mainly when trying to treat anxiety.

 

I don't think you need to do anything in perticular about your dopamine-levels, if you're going to try an SSRI. Dopaminergics can cause hypersexuality, as previously stated. The only time I can see it being benefficial is if your inhibition-problems stem from classic HYPERactive ADHD - dopaminergics are often effective in quelling such behaviour then.

 

It does sound a bit like OCD + hypersexuality - do you by chance have any signs of Borderline personality disorder? This sort of compulsive disinhibited behaviour is often seen there - as part of greater self-harm issues. (sex and food are the most common drugs BPD-ers use)
 

 

Hmm... regarding that 10 mg citalopram... well, that was Citalopram, and it's not the most sexually satiating of the SSRI's, Paroxetine is, as mentioned before. But, it does imply that perhaps your problem is related to anxiety... if so, you might need a very high dose.

That, or try some form of antipsychotic instead. (they're not the best, but alas, there's evidence that OCD is actually slightly related to psychosis-disorders, and there's more and more evidence that antipsychotics are the most effective treatment currently out there - well, those, and possibly GUANFACINE! : )

 

But I also agree that you need a good, and proper psychiatrist this time around - you need an expert to get to the heart of these more complex problems.

[Quaker32]

don't worry - nothing in your post sounded harsh to me. 

 

I have seen some more studies showing l-dopa inducing hyperseuxality in Parkinons's disease patients. Is there anything that I can do to help me reset my dopamine system. I am cutting out alcohol and caffeine. 

 

I have not had a diagnosis of BPD but have symptoms of CPTSD, which is thought to overlap with BPD symptoms. 

 

I am going to go back to the naturopath and ask more questions. Last week he spoke about sing SAM-E. DOes that sound reasonable? My only concern is that homocysteine levels will get too high. I also want to ask him about the constituents of that cream used to lower dopamine. Is that safe?I have never heard of anybody in psychiatry lowering dopamine levels directly but instead choosing to block receptors. But I don't know everything. 

 

I don't like the sound of serotonin depletion but I want something to work and be safe in the long-term. I've had enough. 

 

[Quaker32]

I'm going to see the naturopath tomorrow to ask more questions.

 

I've looked at the literature and naltrexone is used sporadically as well. I loved this case report. What a story. http://yourbrainonpo...with-naltrexone

[Mind_Paralysis]

Oh yeah! I was actually just going to post about that! I found some info on how mirtazapin in combo with naltrexone was used as treatment - and how Naltrexon is used in combination with Bupropion to treat BED - Binge-Eating Disorder.

 

Seems to be a good agent to use against addiction, for sure! = ) A combo of Paroxetine and Naltrexon should cut that libido down to size!

[nowayout]

Sexual addiction isn't a real thing according to current psychiatric consensus. It's very usual for healthy men (and a percentage of women) to have strong sexual compulsions. Almost all guys have them, some admittedly more frequently than others. As long as you "act them out" with consensual adult partners there is nothing wrong with them. Porn and masturbation may also be a good outlet if partners are not available. You may not be wired for monogamy, but that is again not something unnatural, though there are a lot of quacks making a living off pathologizing it.

 

Are you sure you haven't just internalized a certain societal sex-negative message? There are partners (and arrangements) who would welcome and celebrate your high sexuality (assuming it has to do with consensual sex with adults).

 

SSRIs are notorious for reducing desire, sometimes causing sexual problems that remain once you stop them. They also have other side effects (e.g., on cardiovascular health) that should be taken into account.

 

Saliva testing of neurotransmitters is garbage. Save your money and drop that quack.

Edited by nowayout, 25 August 2016 - 03:45 PM.

[Quaker32]

yeah its not in the DSM I appreciate your post and I don't want to sound rude because I appreciate everybody who has taken the time to post in this thread, but its very real. There's loads of studies and if some old guy doesn't want to put it in his DSM then frankly I dont care - I am the one suffering not him. 

 

Trust me, I am absolutely sure its not a sex-negative message. completely different. I've ended up doing loads of things that I absolutely hate, and couldn't stop. Tolerance, cravings that I can't even explain, obsessive thoughts etc...

 

This is one of the mysteries for me. I have no idea how my cravings and the sexual acts progressed in this way. It has an obsessive-compulsive element to it but this is something else. Drugs were not this bad - and I've been off drugs for years.

 

An underlying imbalance? Drugs in my teenage years cannot have helped. Sadly. 

 

I've had certain paraphilias since I hit puberty so there's always been something up, and I used to act out to that in a compulsive way.

 

It's hard to explain (sorry, i know this sounds unhelpful) - but I would say the main difference is it feeling out of control and not being able to stop when I want to. 

 

I want to know more about the biological component to it. 

 

I do have psychological work to do, I admit, as I have got some shame around sexuality and other trauma-related issues, so not against that. In fact, having this forum and people for me to call on my phone are incredibly important. 

The craving. That is the worst. If that is alleviated, I am halfway there. Maybe I have also pushed my dopamine system to the limit as somebody suggested over many years of doing this stuff.

 

 

Tbh, alongside other reasons, that's why I am uneasy about SSRIs and fancied a "naturopathic approach". Quite scary. 

[Quaker32]

I went to speak to the naturopath yesterday and had a heated discussion. He said that the lab which does the neurotransmitter testing and making custom products is called Sabre Sciences. I'm going to check them out. He told me that they were working with universities which is promising but we got into kind of an argument when he said that the trials for using SSRIs in treatment of sex addiction were likely to be fake. I don't know where I stand with this guy.

 

I am currently taking glutathione and iMagT (magnesium l-threonate + inositol) following his advice. 

 

Not good that a few people here have said his saliva neurotransmitter testing is likely to be rubbish. And he is so confidence in it and this lab. I want to keep finding out about it. I am getting some useful knowledge from him anyway about diet which was needs improvement. 

 

I have started meditating today but it is difficult with all the intrusive sexual thoughts (and a bad back). 

 

I called the therapy clinic and they said they will be sending me a letter soon, letting me know if they will see me. At the assessment I will talk to them about all of this...and I will mention wanting to see a good psychiatrist. The good thing is that the clinic specliase in trauma and sex addiction.

Edited by Quaker32, 27 August 2016 - 12:34 PM.

[gamesguru]

He who has even been labeled a "homopathic turd" will still find in this report some absurdities.  The company makes no such mention of neurotransmitter saliva tests on their site.  Their site is barebones, an obvious template job.  The product descriptions are alarmingly vague about the contents, and they have chosen names so cutely unprofessional they would entice any granny with a fannypack (e.g. BioFemme and Androsome Pro).  I could smell this fish across the river.

Edited by gamesguru, 27 August 2016 - 06:38 PM.

[Quaker32]

As I said, I took that Paroxetine for 8 days and still had residual effects for about 2 weeks after that last pill. Now it has worn off and the craving, obsessive thoughts and that horrible sick feeling related to my cravings is returning.

 

So I hope that I will receive the letter from the clinic this week, and either I will see them or they will refer me to an appropriate treatment center. I have a habit of not speaking up, so I will request seeing a specialist psychiatrist for these issues. 

 

Taking the glutathione and the iMagT. Working on eating better and started meditating. 

[Mind_Paralysis]

Sounds pretty good Quaker32. I think you're on the right path here. = )

 

Btw, Magnesium-L-Threonate is the best magnesium - gives you that NMDA-antagonistic effect - which is looking to be a very effective treatment for OCD-like symptoms.

[Quaker32]

I just ate a Nandos :O  could be worse though. I need to work hard at maintaining a good diet all week round. On the weekend, I will cook chicken bone broth. I have heard it is excellent for healing the gut.  

 

The naturopath has given me a diet sheet and the bone broth recipe. I will continue to ask more about diet. He said that it can affect neurotransmitter. I find it hard to believe that it can affect it to the point where I am at in my addiction, but I have to let go of some old habits and embrace a healthy way of living. 

 

Same with the meditation. Doing 10 minutes at the moment and it is hard. I think I need to go somewhere and learn it. 

 

I'm only on 1500mg inositol a day which is not much. That's what the naturopath told me to do. Tempted to up it! But tbh, using myself as a chemistry lab has never been good :(

 

 

[Mind_Paralysis]

About the meditation - try and divide it instead, if 10 minutes is too long. I know it's definitely too long for myself - but in the past I couldn't even do 5 minutes, so I did 2 minutes! It's a skill, so you gotta' give it time.

 

5 minutes in the morning and 5 minutes in the evening, I say. = )

[Quaker32]

 

I'm using this. I don't have the phone app, but I hear it is very good!

[fntms]

I would take the paroxetine (since it seems to work for you) and forget about what you read in the forums, which is not statistically significant (small sample error, n=1 etc,... ) compared to the extensive research backing those drugs as safe. Things going well your pdoc might make you taper off sooner than you think.

I for one wish I had not read all the scary things about benzos (boo) and even opiates (hiss) for which I had prescriptions because of specific issues. I now have pain that is chronic but which might have been avoided had I taken the tramadol etc the doc gave me. I still hesitate to take them largely because of what I read, which is some kind of OCD in a way...

[gamesguru]

blaine_11 took tramadol. he got anhedonia and lost effects from alcohol.

 

SSRI Antidepressant Medications: Adverse Effects and Tolerability
James M. Ferguson, M.D. (2001)

Side effects of antidepressants can be predicted by receptor selectivity and site of action. Although the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have better overall safety and tolerability than older antidepressants, broad-based experience with SSRIs has shown the frequency and type of side effects to be increased relative to clinical trial data. The author explores the reasons for the different profiles and discusses adverse effects, especially sexual dysfunction, weight gain, and sleep disturbance, the most troubling adverse events seen during long-term SSRI therapy. The informed management of these side effects by primary care practitioners supports successful treatment of depression.

Problems associated with long-term treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.
Moret C1, Isaac M, Briley M. (2009)

Although the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which are now widely used as a first-line treatment for depression and many other psychiatric conditions, are generally well tolerated, they are not devoid of side effects. Most short-term treatment-related side effects of SSRIs are transient and disappear after a few days or weeks. However, following long-term treatment with the SSRIs, some serious adverse events may occur. Some of them can be difficult to recognise because they can resemble residual symptoms of depression. The most serious can be life threatening. They all have a negative influence on the patient's quality of life and are frequently a prime reason for a lack of long-term compliance with the associated increased risk of recurrence of a depressive episode. This article is an overview of the more common adverse events, which are seen with non-acute treatment with the SSRIs.

[nowayout]

Tramadol (an opioid/SNRI) and benzos both suppress libido very effectively within an hour or two, and I have to admit to using them for this purpose on occasion when I needed some peace of mind from my otherwise distracting sexual thoughts (I have prescriptions left over for other conditions, so this is off-label and not to be recommended).

 

Neither are good to use chronically. Believe me, getting off prescription tramadol for back pain was awful, awful, awful.

 

The antidepressants you mention have to be taken chronically if they are to work for depression (for which they are generally not very effective, b.t.w.). However, IME they suppress sexual desire pretty much right away and for that purpose you may actually be able to get away with taking them on a more as-needed basis, if you are going to try that route.

 

On the more natural side, doesn't masturbation work for at least temporary relief? You don't say if you are male or female, but it is not uncommon to find men who have sexual thoughts all day and masturbate several times a day, just to stay ahead of their libidos so they don't have to act out (probably women too, but as a gay guy my experience with the female libido is nonexistent). Many of these men probably don't want to have the compulsion to do it so often, but the compulsion is still considered a normal and healthy aspect of sexuality. Paraphilias are not necessarily unhealthy either (depending on what they are) and there are places like Fetlife where people with paraphilias can find community and acceptance.  

Edited by nowayout, 30 August 2016 - 07:29 PM.

[Quaker32]

thanks for your reply in this thread. 

 

i don't like the sound of opiates and benzos at all. but useful information to know nonetheless. i used to pop a few benzos and don't want to get back in that habit. 

 

that's an interesting idea about the SSRI. I've actually read some stuff which said that in paraphilcs, it helped to stop the parahpilic behaviour and resume "normal" sexual behaviour. there's studies in heterosexual and homosexual men. 

 

im a male. i don't feel morally guilty about it, but i don't want to masturbate or do my parabolic behaviour anymore, which is getting steadily dangerous. i would much rather be in a healthy relationship and improve my life from where it is now.

 

also masturbation doesn't do it for me anymore. it leads to porn which then leads to prostitutes. 

[LittleDragons]

Fascinating read, but I also put no stock in naturopathy. Its not worth the paper its printed on in my opinion.

 

The good news is that there are definitely SLAA SAA and other types of support groups available if you are interested. Also, regardless of the current DSM's standing on process addictions (which sexual addiction is based upon), its not too much of a stretch to find a professional that could help you out. 

Regardless of how you feel about any of the 12 step programs you should definitely talk to some people and figure out who to go to. If it gets severe enough and you are interested in going to an extremely costly treatment program that your insurance will not cover, you're very welcome to go check into Pine Grove in MS. They have a sexual addiction program (30 days I believe).

 

The good news is, there are definitely resources available. I wouldn't go so far as to go on a medication bender to modulate your own d3 receptors (but thats just me). I would talk to some people who have had success in the subject and follow their path. 

The down side to dealing with these groups and their professionals is that they are very close-knit. You may even need to be vetted to get into a SAA meeting as they dont want people to just come check out their meetings due to the sensitive nature of things.

 

My personal track would be to call Pine Grove and look for some referrals to your location. Be them individual therapists, group programs, or 12 step programs. At least a good place to start. 

 

All the best to you! I hope you find some solace and eventually get some peace.

 

One other thing that came to mind was something an old substance abuse counselor told me (please take it with a grain of salt as I just found it funny and applicable).

I asked him for advice on something and he responded "If you go into a [AA] meeting and ask them how to take out your own kidney, you'll get 100 different ways to do it and not a single person that has done it."