Of course, most sex addicts do not engage in all of these behaviors.  Some engage in only one form of destructive sexual behavior.  What is important in determining if one is addicted to sex is whether the behavior is compulsive – that is, is the person able to stop the behavior on his/her own for an extended period of time without going through intense struggle, without obsessing about the behavior,  and without replacing the behavior with another addictive-type behavior?

Consider your answers to the following questions:

1. Has your sexual behavior led to problems in your personal or professional life?

2. Has your sexual behavior threatened to end or already ended a significant relationship?

3. Have you had difficulty refraining from certain sexual behaviors that are inappropriate or even dangerous?

4. Have you contracted or put yourself at risk for contracting a sexually transmitted disease?

5. Do you keep your sexual activities secret?

6. Has casual or anonymous sex prevented you from forming or maintaining a longer-term relationship?

7. Did you experience sexual abuse as a child or adolescent?

8. Did your parents have significant problems with sexual or romantic activities?

9. Do you feel depressed after sex?

10. Do you think that your sexual activities are not normal?

11. Do you feel controlled by preoccupation with sex?

12. Have romantic or sexual fantasies taken over your thoughts and become a way to escape reality?

13. Do you spend considerable amounts of time engaging in online erotic activities such as viewing pornography, visiting dating sites, or participating in sex chat rooms?

14. Do you spend time and money in strip clubs, adult bookstores or adult movie houses?

15. Have you ever visited public restrooms, rest areas or parks hoping to have sex with a stranger?

16. Have you ever paid for sex or companionship?

17. Have you ever had sex in exchange for gifts or money?

18. Has a spouse/partner, friend or family member ever been hurt because of your sexual behavior?

19. Have you neglected important aspects of your life because of time spent on sexual activity?

20. Have you remained in sexual or romantic relationships even though your partner is emotionally or physically abusive?

21. Does your sexual desire seem more powerful than you are?

22. Do your sexual thoughts or behavior leave you feeling degraded or ashamed?

23. Do you sometimes refrain from sexual activity for a certain amount of time following periods of inappropriate sexual behavior?

24. Have you maintained dual or multiple sexual or romantic relationships at the same time?

25. Do you spend more time on pornography, phone sex, or in online chat rooms than on authentic personal relationships?

26. Do you risk losing your partner, spouse or family by your sexual activity?

27. Have you tried to stop or limit a particular sexual activity without success?