[chaya]

I just completed an online "Women's Sexual Addiction Screening Test". I answered 6 of the questions yes.

At the end of the test the program suggested I attend a 12 step support program like SAA, SA or SCA, and consider a consultation with a counselor or professional. I know I have a higher sex drive/desire than my husband but I didn't think I was addicted.

I haven't had sex for 10 days, I was in the hospital in pain 2 days ago, now that I'm feeling better I'm so horny I even tried masturbating. The doctor told me no sex until he clears me after my followup examination.

Are these tests accurate? Should I be concerned that this will affect my marriage?

[Texinator]

Does it affect your life in any negative way, like you are engaging in risky sexual behavior, you are having sex when you should be going to school or to work, you have poor impulse control when it comes to sex, and so forth?

[rcoreyus]

Ditto Texinator's questions.

[Ashlee T.]

I'll echo Tex's questions but also add that the feeling of being "horny" physically is often hormonal as opposed to mentally "horny" which is a desire of the attention you will receive during sex, the control, the power.

Here is an excerpt from a site about sexual addiction:
Generally, a person with a sex addiction gains little satisfaction from the sexual activity and forms no emotional bond with his or her sex partners. In addition, the problem of sex addiction often leads to feelings of guilt and shame. A sex addict also feels a lack of control over the behavior, despite negative consequences (financial, health, social, and emotional).


Do you feel this applies to you?

On another note, it's considered quite common in women who have suffered sexual abuse or sexual violence to become "sex addicts". But.....from what you have told us about yourself, I do not see you fitting the characteristics of a sex addict.

[Texinator]

Some victims of sexual abuse shy away from sex because it otherwise reminds them of their traumatic experience, and some victims can become hypersexual. Of the ones that become hypersexual, for some it is a way to gain approval and attention - though if the sex is just sex and there is no emotional basis for it, it's unsatisfying and they keep'll engaging in hypersexual behavior - and for some it is a way to "recapture" their sexuality away from the traumatic experience.

But not all victims of sexual abuse experience either. You can just as easily have a sex drive that's naturally high, and then it's only a problem if it interferes with your daily life in a negative manner. Sure, it's also possible for there to be friction between you and your husband if the difference in your sex drives is too high, but then it's not a matter of you being a sex addict or anything, but rather a matter the sexual compatibility of the relationship not being quite right.

[WildChild]

Sweetie, Just where did you find this survey or screening test? You or I could create one and put it on line. Magazines often have things like this that have nothing to do with the real world of addiction treatment and everything to do with selling their product or site.

I doubt very much that you are a sex addict. Rather you are woman with a healthily normal sex drive. Unfortunately there really aren't too many women who do have a healthily normal drive.

[WildChild]

I just did a search on this and found several sites from various doctors and recovery factilities, not one of them had few than 15 questions.

Do you ever pay for sex? Has this affected your finances?
Frequent public restrooms, bathhouses and swim pools looking for sex?
Do you engage in S/M behavior?
Is your involvement with porn, phone sex, internet sex affecting your real life relationship?
Are you eager for events with friends and family to be over so you can go have sexual adventures?
Do you regularly visit sex clubs, strip clubs and adult stores?
Do your sexual encounters put you danger of arrest?
Do you become depressed and angry with yourself about your sexual activity?
Does your spouse complain about your sexual behavior?

[chaya]

I can think of some ways my sex drive affects my life, not sure they are all negative. One way that is negative is when I am at school or trying to study and I can't concentrate because all I can think about is sex.

I do derive great pleasure from sex with my husband and I feel bound to him totally. The few sexual encounters I had before meeting him were without meaning or pleasure for me.

If you Google Women's Sexual Addiction Screening Test you will find the test I took. Of the questions that WildChild asked, I only answered yes to one of them. The thing that worries me most about this high sex drive is that I get horny if I don't have sex for 3 days and when I'm horny I can't think of anything else except sex. It is hard for me to study, do house work or almost anything. My sister says it's my hormones taking over, she's probably right.

[Guest]

If it doesn't impact your life in a negative way, I don't see a problem with it at all. 3 days for me might as well be an eternity as well. My wife can go for a year or longer, it's torture to be in this situation. Things are getting better though. I wouldn't put much faith in any online testing. Might ask your doctor about it, he/she might suggest something to help your concentration.

[ItsASecret]

Sex addiction is not simply being horny. Being horny is being horny, nothing wrong with that at all. Being a sex addict involves it interrupting your daily life to the point of having everything about you and around you crumble. Sex addicts skip out on work to pay for sex, they spend copious amounts of money on strippers and toys, they ignore paying bills, keeping the house up, mingling with friends, everything is about sex, revolves around sex, wanting it, needing it with as many people regardless of relationship morals...they want sex in any way shape or form at any point in the day...being a sex addict involves much much more life altering circumstances than "do you think about sex a lot yes or no".

Online "exams" are nothing but scams and lies in order to get you to click on their fancy little referral links which merely want more money in any way they possibly can get their hands on. A true sex addict is diagnosed in a professional setting by a psychologist or psychiatrist, not in 6 questions.