If you really love sex, have a high sex drive, or find yourself in the throes of a Big O as often as possible, good for you! A satisfying sex life is a beautiful thing. It even has the power to keep you feeling young, happy, and healthy .

But what’s the difference between I-love-sex and I-love-sex-so-much-maybe-I’m-addicted-to-it?

Let’s start by defining sexual addiction. According to PsychCentral , it’s the “dysfunctional preoccupation with sexual fantasy, often in combination with the obsessive pursuit of casual or non-intimate sex; pornography; compulsive masturbation; romantic intensity and objectified partner sex for a period of at least six months.”

Not sure if that applies to you? You can also ask yourself these questions:

• Are you out of control? Being compulsively obsessed with sex, porn, self-pleasuring, or even flirting can be signs of a problem. Especially if it’s negatively impacting work, school, relationships, and your wellbeing.

• Are you unsatisfied having sex with the same person(s)? Constantly cheating on your S.O. because you need more and more sex with a seemingly unlimited number of partners to be satisfied may be a sign of a problem.

• Are you taking sexual risks? If your desire for sexual activity is overriding your commitment to personal safety, you have to deal with that. From STIs to criminal activity, out-of-control sexual behavior can put you at risk for injury, illness, arrest, or harm.

• Are you hiding your sexual behavior? Being deceptive about your sexual obsessiveness—because you’re ashamed of it or afraid of the consequences—is an indication that you may have a problem.

Many health care professionals believe that sex addiction—or more accurately, hypersexual disorder—is best treated in one-on-one counseling or support groups. Here’s how to find support if you’re grappling with this destructive issue.

And what about that label nympho ? Could you be one? Nymphomania isn’t actually a scientific condition. It’s just a term to describe excessive sexual desire by a woman and frankly, there are plenty of times when we can relate to that. So we’re going to stock up on birth control and embrace our inner nympho in a healthy way.

Take care of yourself,
Bedsider