While teachers were educating the youth about your body as it goes through "changes", sex, STD's and other just-don't-have-sex talks, no one ever taught the fact that sex can lead to an addiction. You would think they'd discuss this since it could be used as a scare tactic to get kids to not have sex. Of course, that would have backfired but I digress.

First, the science behind it all, sex is strictly dopamine. Dopamine is the chemical that releases when you do something that you love. It's something that comes out when you're eating your favorite food, when you're drinking your favorite juice and when you're listening to your favorite song. It makes what you're feeling 100% better when you receive a reward. The reward is your food, juice, song, or in this case, the anticipation of an orgasm. It is a feel-good sensation for most people. When having good sex, the chemicals released in your brain is oxytocin and endorphins, both of which are natural painkillers. What this does to the body is release an all around feel good. You had a headache that day? Gone. You were coughing a little bit? Gone. You had slight pain in your sides? Gone. Had a bad day? Gone. All of which, can be defused and put to the side during your sex sessions. None of this sounds like a bad thing, right? You get temporary painkillers, an orgasm, and companionship! What can go wrong?

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This is where addiction comes in. Remember, addiction is to become dependent on a substance. Addiction is a brain disease that is manipulated by your brains compulsive ways to want to feel good and continue to feel good. But wait, there are only cases of substances being abused such as weed, alcohol, and opioids. Opioids include painkillers that we are all familiar with like codeine and oxycodone. Painkillers. Sex literally gives off the painkiller chemical, remember? So, can we say that it is possible that sex is also something that can be put in the painkiller category to get addicted to as well? Let's dive a little deeper.

People who are addicted to sex are the same as people who are addicted to alcohol, weed, and drugs. They need it. They cannot be without it. There are people who smoke every 4 hours to make sure they don't get off being high. There are people that wake up and take a shot of Vodka or else they cannot get through the day. Then there are people who wake up and need sex in order to get their day started. The cases where people meet their dealers at designated areas to obtain drugs are just as bad as people who set up 1-hour hotel meetings between jobs just to "get their fix". Men and women alike can be addicted to sex. Most would consider this to be a male situation because "men are dogs" and "all they want is sex" when we all know, addiction doesn't have a preference. It attacks anyone.

There are certain cases where women will pay for hotel rooms for an entire workday so they can have sex right before work, on a break and all night after work. "She's just a freak!" A freak that's going out of her way to spend money on a hotel room to have sex with anyone? This is what makes it dangerous. When you are addicted, you no longer think straight. You are no longer thinking clearly. If you are in desperate need of it, you will not care that this partner doesn't have a condom. You will not care that the next one does not have a condom. When you are addicted to drugs and you are so dependent on it, you do not care that this person just used the needle. You want your high. You want your fix and you will get it. Why? Because RIGHT NOW it feels amazing.

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Now, I hope this sheds some light on those who believed that sex is not an addiction. Although it is uncommon for sex to be an addiction, it is not unlikely. There are those who believe that all consensual sex is good and healthy. In MANY cases, this is true. But, from someone who has had a terrible addiction to sex, everything that glitters ain't gold.