Hollywood A-listers like Tiger Woods, David Duchovny, and Jesse James have accidentally pioneered the acknowledgement of sexual addiction as a serious problem.

However it may appear in the tabloids, sex addiction is real and it can be the root of a number of problems that can affect the rest of your life. It may be the desire to constantly masturbate, watch porn, pick up strangers, and engage in sex at any opportunity.

Sex addiction can consume your life, and it may lead to complications in not only your relationship, but also your health, your work, your relationship with your friends and family members, legal trouble, and a general loss of interest in the rest of your life. If you do suspect that you are a sex addict, read on to find out what the tell-tale signs of sex addiction are.

You Experience Interruptive Thoughts about Sex.

If thoughts about sex or sexual activity are interrupting your day without provocation, that might be indicative of a problem, particularly if those thoughts push the bounds of decency.

If you’re suddenly hit with the thought of what kissing, fondling, or having sex with a complete stranger, an acquaintance, a close friend, or a family member, you are experiencing sexually obsessive thoughts.

You’ve Been Leading a Double Life.

Do you have a lover on the side? Are you regularly cheating on your partner? Do you keep your sex life a secret from your friends and those around you? If you’ve been leading a double life to fulfill your own sexual desires, it may be a signal that you have a sex addiction.

While it’s true that a number of people, both male and female, cheat on their significant others, a constant compulsion to do so isn’t normal.

If you’ve been keeping your activities a secret from the people you care about the most, it begs one question – why? Why are you hiding what you’re doing? If you know what you’re doing is wrong but you can’t stop yourself, you have a problem.

You are Constantly Looking for New Sexual Material

One of the markers of a preoccupation with sex is the compulsion to constantly seek out only media that is related to sex. This is different from the average guy (or gal) who watches pornography on occasion, reads sex articles, or looks at stimulating photographs. These are normal, natural human compulsions, and an interest in sex is not indicative of a problem.

On the other hand, if you are always looking for sex-related material to the exclusion of other things you may have a problem. Is your productivity at work suffering because you’re browsing adult dating sites or reading steamy sex stories? That’s another sign.

You Jeopardize your Relationships

We’re not talking about just your personal relationship with your partner. A sex addiction can easily begin to interfere with your professional and social circles. Your deceptive behavior, necessary to cover up your sexual exploits, can put a strain on your friendships when your loved ones ask about where you are or what you’re up to when you so frequently disappear by yourself.

Your stress over relationship conflict can lead you to indulge further in your sexual addiction, creating a dangerous whirlpool that can suck up your whole life.

You Feel Negatively about your Behavior

If you feel shameful about your behavior and have the impulse to hide it, you have a problem and you need to seek out help and support. Negative emotions are a common human experience, but if you’re trapped in a cycle of being unable to withhold yourself from your behavior and then feeling remorse or depression about your actions, your psychological well-being is in jeopardy.

Sex addiction is not different from most other addictions, and your counterproductive behavior and hiding of it can destroy your sense of self-worth and lead you into a dangerous pattern of denial. It can also lead to guilt, depression, and even suicidal feelings.

When we do things that we can’t restrain ourselves against, then hate ourselves because we can’t help ourselves, we lead ourselves down a dangerous path of self-destructive behavior that can take hold of our lives and compromise all aspects of our life.

You Engage in Sexual Thrill-Seeking

You may be seeking out exciting encounters if you’re not being satisfied or stimulated by having sex with the same partner, and what might be a one-off can quickly turn into a habit. You may be engaging in dangerous sex escapades with strangers, having sex in public or unusual places, and opening yourself up to potentially harmful situations.

If you find that you are never satisfied by having sex with your partner, your sexuality may be suffering. Constantly looking for new sexual thrills is often a hallmark of a sex addiction that has gotten out of control.

You Have Gotten in Trouble with the Law

If your dangerous thrill-seeking has led you down a destructive path, you might attempt having sex with prostitutes, having sex with minors, or engaging in exhibitionism.

These illegal activities can not only land you in legal trouble, but could also smear your public reputation and leave you outside the good graces of your friends, family, co-workers, and the general public (which tends to frown on these sorts of sexual exploits).

Other actions that might not necessarily be illegal but could still be offensive or indicative of a problem include indecent phone calls, dialing sex hotlines, or voyeurism.

When the compulsion to express your sexuality lands you in trouble, it’s a sign that you might be a sex addict. Sex shouldn’t be a legal issue, and if it’s causing problems in your life, it could lead to a breakdown of your relationship with your partner or your relationship with others.

Not to mention, it could be terribly embarrassing to have your name spread all over local and social media channels.

If you’re experiencing one or any of these symptoms, you may have a sex addiction. Fortunately, there is help available. Online websites and discussion forums are a good place to discuss your problem in anonymity. Always remember: the first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem