If you’re a sex addict, you’re dealing with an escalating, obsessive preoccupation with sexual fantasy and behaviors. As a result, you’ve damaged your romantic relationships, career, education, friendships, finances, and other life priorities. Most likely, you use the intensity of sexual fantasy and behaviors to escape (to avoid feeling) emotional discomfort – stress, anxiety, loneliness, depression, shame, boredom, and the like.
Are you obsessively preoccupied with sex?
Have you tried and failed to cut back or quit your involvement with porn, hookup apps, strip clubs, prostitution, affairs, compulsive masturbation, voyeurism, or similar behaviors?
Are you experiencing negative consequences related to your out-of-control sex life?
If you think you or a loved one may be struggling with sex addiction, we suggest you take this anonymous 25-question screening test:
Sex and Porn Addiction Self-Test.
This Sex and Porn Addiction Self-Test is a preliminary assessment tool. Your answers to the questions in this short quiz can help you, in conjunction with a licensed psychotherapist, identify issues that you may have with sex or porn addiction. Answer each question by circling the appropriate response- “yes” or “no” .
1. Do you feel overly distracted by, obsessed with, or preoccupied by your sexual fantasies and behavior?
Yes
No
2. Do you ever have trouble stopping your sexual behavior, even when you have more important things to do?
Yes
No
3. After having sex (with self or others), do you sometimes feel depressed or regret it?
Yes
No
4. Have you made promises to yourself or another person to change aspects of your sexual behavior, only to break those promises later?
Yes
No
5. Did you experience abuse, neglect, or other serious trauma as a child or adolescent?
Yes
No
6. Do you look forward to events with family and/or friends being over so you can engage in sexual behavior?
Yes
No
7. Do you have trouble maintaining relationships once the sexual newness and intensity has worn off?
Yes
No
8. Have you ever kept secrets or lied about money and/or time spent on sex, porn, affairs, and similar behavior?
Yes
No
9. Do you sometimes regret the amount of time you spend with porn, webcams, hookup apps, and other forms of tech-driven sexual behavior?
Yes
No
10. Does your sexual behavior, real-world or online, interfere with your personal goals or create negative consequences in your work, community, or academic life?
Yes
No
11. Have your family, friends, or partner(s) ever worried or complained about your sexual behavior?
Yes
No
12. Does your sexual behavior potentially offend others, violate community standards, or place you in danger of arrest?
Yes
No
13. Do you ever find yourself “lost” in sexual fantasies and behavior as a way of coping with stress, boredom, loneliness, or other forms of emotional discomfort?
Yes
No
14. Do you keep certain elements of your sexual behavior hidden from partners and/or friends?
Yes
No
15. Do you believe that porn use, casual sex, and similar behavior may have kept you from creating and maintaining a successful long-term intimate relationship?
Yes
No
16. Have you repeatedly engaged in unsafe or “risky” sex?
Yes
No
17. Have you had certain kinds of sex (alone or with a partner) that you later regretted?
Yes
No
18. Does your sexual behavior ever leave you worried about or at risk of contracting or sharing sexually transmitted diseases?
Yes
No
19. Do you find yourself feeling restless, irritable, or discontented when you are unable to engage in certain sexual fantasies and activities?
Yes
No
20. Has your involvement with porn, hookup apps, sex/dating websites, and other online sexual environments become greater than your intimate contact with romantic partners?
Yes
No
21. Has anyone ever been hurt by lies and secrets related to your sexual behavior?
Yes
No
22. Do you ever feel compelled to seek out porn, hookups, and other forms of sexual activity, online or real world, even though you are trying to stop these behaviors?
Yes
No
23. Has the nature and/or intensity of your sexual fantasies and behavior escalated over time?
Yes
No
24. Do you find that you spend more time with sexual fantasies and behavior than you would like?
Yes
No
25. Have you ever been approached by the police, arrested, or charged with a crime related to your sexual behavior?
Yes
No
Scoring-
An overwhelming percentage of positive answers is an indication you should be discussing your behavior with a therapist. A Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT after their name) or a Certified Christian Sex Addiction Specialist is trained and qualified to treat individuals with compulsive sexual disorders and trauma resulting from sexual abuse.
Perhaps you are a concerned significant other, spouse or relative of a sex addict. You also have clinical professionals trained to assist you in your healing journey. Certified Clinical Partner Specialists (CCPS after the professional’s name) or a member of the Association for Partners of Sex Addicts Trauma Specialists (APSATS) have been trained in the treatment of partners of sex addicts. When seeking a clinical professional knowledgeable in sex addiction, ask questions about the training of the psychotherapist or other helping professional. Substance addiction training does not qualify a clinical professional to treat a compulsive sexual disorder.
An affirmative answer to question #12 or #25, regarding illegal sexual behavior, is always a problem. If you answered yes to either of these questions, learn about the mandated reporting laws in your state before speaking to a professional about your challenges. Then , you should seek confidential advice from a licensed professional skilled in handling the disclosure of illegal compulsive sexual actions. Be aware that psychotherapists and other helping professionals (including clerics and lawyers) may have reporting requirements (that can vary from state to state) related to illegal sexual behaviors. Please learn about the reporting laws in your state before speaking to a professional in detail about your challenges.
If you have attempted stopping this behavior on your own but have been unsuccessful and you think you need a break and focus on more concentrated help, look into an inpatient residential program for sex addiction. The Meadows- Gentle Path, Pine Grove Behavioral Health & Addiction Services, Keystone ECU, Seeking Integrity, and Blue Tiger Recovery are inpatient residential programs with excellent reputations.
This Self-Assessment’s original version was written by Robert Weiss, PhD., and Patrick J. Carnes, PhD., in 2010. This version’s Copyright © 2018, Seeking Integrity LLC, Robert Weiss, PhD
To ask Seeking Integrity About Treatment, Call (747) 234-HEAL (4325)
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