The Lived Experience of Patients with Sex Addiction: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Sexual addiction is a growing disorder associated with many personal and social consequences. This basic study aims to explore and discover the factors affecting the development of sexual addiction with a qualitative look at the experiences, thoughts, and feelings of patients with sexual addiction. Using a qualitative method, 13 patients with sex addiction (10 males and 3 females) aged 21-50 years were selected through purposive sampling and interviewed in 2019 Tehran using a semi-structured interview. Then, the data were analyzed using the seven-step Colaizzi method. The results were classified into three main categories, including personal problems, family inefficiency, and society's inattention to sex education, and further divided into 11 subcategories. Our findings provide physicians and other mental health providers with invaluable insights into sex addiction. Given the lack of community planning and policy regarding sex education for teachers, parents, and adolescents, we emphasize the responsibility of parents in teaching healthy sexual behavior to their children and adolescents. © 2021, University of Tehran. All rights reserved.