Cybersex Addiction Research Articles

Sex Addiction on the Internet

The Internet appears to have become an ever-increasing part in many areas of people’s day-to-day lives. One area that deserves further examination surrounds sex addiction and its relationship with excessive Internet usage. It has been alleged by some academics that social pathologies are beginning to surface in cyberspace and have been referred to as “technological addictions.” This article examines the concept of “Internet addiction” in relation to excessive sexual behavior. It contains discussions of the concept of sexual addiction and whether the whole concept is viable. This is done through the evaluation of the small amount of empirical data available. It is concluded that Internet sex is a new medium of expression that may increase participation because of the perceived anonymity and disinhibition factors. It is also argued that although the amount of empirical data is small, Internet sex addiction exists and that there are many opportunities for future research. These are explicitly outlined.

The impact of compulsive cybersex behaviours on the family

In the treatment of sexual addiction and compulsivity, the family unit is often neglected. Yet this disorder has a major impact not only on the identified patient, but also on the spouse or partner (the coaddict) and on the family as a whole. This is as true of the consequences of compulsive cybersex activities as of other behaviours. This paper describes the results of a brief survey completed by 91 women and three men, aged 24-57, who had experienced serious adverse consequences of their partner's cybersex involvement. In 60.6% of cases the sexual activities were limited to online sex. The survey respondents felt hurt, betrayal, rejection, abandonment, devastation, loneliness, shame, isolation, humiliation, jealousy, and anger, as well as loss of self-esteem. Being lied to repeatedly was a major cause of distress. Cybersex addiction was a major contributing factor to separation and divorce of couples in this survey: 22.3% of the respondents were separated or divorced, and several others were seriously contemplating leaving. Among 68% of the couples one or both had lost interest in relational sex: 52.1% of addicts had decreased interest in sex with their spouse, as did 34% of partners. Partners compared themselves unfavourably with the online women (or men) and pictures, and felt hopeless about being able to compete with them. Partners overwhelmingly felt that cyber affairs were as emotionally painful to them as live or offline affairs. Adverse effects on the children included (1) exposure to cyberporn and to objectification of women, (2) involvement in parental conflicts, (3) lack of attention because of one parent's involvement with the computer and the other parent's preoccupation with the cybersex addict, (4) breakup of the marriage. In response to their spouses' cybersex addiction, partners went through a sequence of pre-recovery phases: (a) ignorance/denial, (b) shock/discovery of cybersex activities, and (c) problem-solving attempts. When their attempts failed and they realized how unmanageable their lives had become, they entered the crisis stage and began their own recovery.

Pastors and cybersex addiction

Clergy of all religious traditions are presenting in increasing numbers with addiction to Internet pornography. This article examines the characteristics of clergy who suffer from it. Clergy have been shown to be uneducated about healthy sexuality and boundaries in ministry. The nature of their role increases vulnerability to addiction and adds unique challenges to treatment. Treatment for clergy must be sensitive to these challenges particularly in assessing ability to remain in or return to the practice of ministry. An ongoing accountability plan will be essential in allowing church authorities to feel confident about the ministerial practice of those who suffer from Internet addiction.

Sex on the internet: Observations and implications for internet sex addiction

Some academics claim that social pathologies referred to as technological addictions are beginning to surface in cyberspace. One related area that deserves further examination is the concept of sex addiction and its relationship with excessive Internet usage. This article therefore overviews (a) sex‐related uses of the Internet, (b) the concept of “Internet addiction” in relation to excessive sexual behavior, (c) cybersex and cyber‐relationships, (d) cyber‐relationship typologies, (e) the claims made for Internet sex addiction, and (f) the empirical data relating to Internet sex addiction. It is concluded that Internet sex is a new medium of expression where factors such as perceived anonymity and disinhibition may increase participation. It is also argued that although the amount of empirical data is small, Internet sex addiction exists.

A Qualitative Study of Cybersex Participants: Gender Differences, Recovery Issues, and Implications for Therapists

In a companion study to onepreviouslypublished on the effects of cybersex addiction on the family, a new, brief online survey was completed by 45 men and 10 women, aged 1 6 4 4 (mean, 38.7) who self-identified as cybersex participants who had experienced adverse consequences from their online sexual activities. Nearly all the respondents (92% of the men and 90% of the women) self-iden-tified as current or former sex addicts. Sign flcantly more men than women reported downloading pornography as a preferred activity. As in previous studies on gender differences in sexual activities, the women tended toprefer sex within the context of a relationship or at least e-mail or chat room interactions rather than accessing images. However, in the present small sample, several women were visually-oriented consumers of pornography. Two women with noprior histo y of interest in sadomasochistic sex discovered this type of behavior online and came toprefer it. Although a similarproportion of men (27%) and women (30%) engaged in real-tame online sex with another person, significantly more women than men (80% vs. 33.3%) stated that their online sexual activities had led to real-life sexual encounters. Some respondents described a rapid progression of a previously existing compulsive sexual behavior problem, whereas others had no history of sexual addiction but became rapidly involved in an escalating pattern of compulsive cybersex use after they discovered Internet sex. Adverse consequences included depression and other emotionalproblems, social isolation, worsening of their sexual relationship with spouse or partner, harm done to tbeir marriage or primary relationship, exposure of children to onlinepornography or masturbation, career loss or decreased job performance, other financial consequences, and in some cases, legal consequences. Although some therapists the participants consulted were very helpful, others were uninformed about the nature and extent of sexual activities available online and reportedly (1) minimized the significance of the cybersex behavior and did not accept it for the powerful addiction it was, (2) failed to make it a priority to stop illegal or self-destructive behaviors, and (3) did not consider the effect oj-the cybersex involvement on the spouse orpartner.

Effects of cybersex addiction on the family: Results of a survey

A brief survey was completed by 91 women and 3 men, aged 24–57, who had experienced serious adverse consequences of their partner's cybersex involvement. In 60.6% of cases the sexual activities were limited to cybersex and did not include offline sex. Although not specifically asked about this, 31% of partners volunteered that the cybersex activities were a continuation of preexisting compulsive sexual behaviors. Open-ended questions yielded the following conclusions: 1. In response to learning about their partner's online sexual activities, the survey respondents felt hurt, betrayal, rejection, abandonment, devastation, loneliness, shame, isolation, humiliation, jealousy, and anger, as well as loss of self-esteem. Being lied to repeatedly was a major cause of distress. 2. Cybersex addiction was a major contributing factor to separation and divorce of couples in this survey: 22.3% of the respondents were separated or divorced, and several others were seriously contemplating leaving. 3. Among 68% of the couples one or both had lost interest in relational sex: 52.1% of addicts had decreased interest in sex with their spouse, as did 34% of partners. Some couples had had no relational sex in months or years. 4. Partners compared themselves unfavorably with the online women (or men) and pictures, and felt hopeless about being able to compete with them. 5. Partners overwhelmingly felt that cyberaffairs were as emotionally painful to them as live or offline affairs, and many believed that virtual affairs were just as much adultery or “cheating” as live affairs. 6. Adverse effects on the children included (a) exposure to cyberporn and to objectification of women, (b) involvement in parental conflicts, (c) lack of attention because of one parent's involvement with the computer and the other parent's preoccupation with the cybersex addict, (d) breakup of the marriage. 7. In response to their spouses' cybersex addiction, partners went through a sequence of prerecovery phases which consisted of (a) ignorance/denial, (b) shock/discovery of cybersex activities, and (c) problem-solving attempts. When their attempts failed and they realized how unmanageable their lives had become, they entered the crisis stage and began their own recovery.

The Long Journey Back: The Bumpy Road to Recovery from Cybersex Addiction

Notwithstanding the current debate over the use of the term “addiction” to describe certain types of problematic internet use, it is clear that a significant number of people engage in excessive internet use despite its interference with their everyday life. There is also growing evidence to suggest that increasing numbers of regular internet users are using the net for the purposes of accessing pornographic material and adult chat. In a qualitative descriptive framework, this study examines evidence from recovering cybersex addicts to illuminate aspects of the recovery trajectory for persons negatively affected by excessive use of the internet for the purposes of sexual gratification. Significant disruption to functional daily activities was variously reported and included occupational and social impairment, depression, impotence, and relationship breakdown. The paper further examines the therapeutic recovery issues with this addiction and comments on the role of rehabilitation counsellors in this process.

Compulsive Cybersex: The New Tea Room

Cybersex has become the new tea room for meeting anonymous partners and engaging in a fantasy world in which survivors of childhood abuse escape the demands of daily life as well as the pain and shame of past trauma. Compulsive cybersex was described as a survival mechanism involving dissociative reenactment and affect regulation. Descriptive data from a clinical population of cybersex abusers were reviewed to construct four subtypes of cybersex addiction. Treatment strategies for each of the subtypes were recommended.

Cybersex: High tech sex addiction

Cybersex is an area in which sexual addicts increasingly act out. This article explores the various forms of cybersex that are available to clients. Three basic forms of cybersex are presented: (1) online pornography exchange, (b) real time sexual exchanges, and (c) multimedia software. Each of these areas is explored and explained. Finally, this article explores possible explanations for the power of cybersex among sexual addicts. Four basic explanations are explored: (a) isolation, (b) fantasy, (c) anonymity, and (d) low cost. Suggestions for future research in the area of cybersex addiction are presented. It is 3:00 A.M. and Kevin stares at his computer screen once again. His wife and children are deeply asleep by now and he remains obsessed with rinding the perfect image and perfect relationship online. Images of men, women, and children stream through the phone line and display onto his computer. They are then stored both on his hard disk drive and in his mind. Exhausting his common cruising areas of the Internet, he turns to the Internet Relay Chat system. There he knows he will find someone who shares his same compulsion, to form a fantasy sexual relationship into which he can escape for hours. The night ends with a review of all the cybersex material to find the one or two fantasies to which he can masturbate and go to sleep.