I'm wondering if highly sexually active people, such as hobbyists, may be obtaining some relief from depression which may motivate them to continue the behavior repeatedly as a form of self-medicating.
Could this explain, in certain cases, why some men spend so much time studying review sites, thinking about providers, and then ultimately spending a lot of money on paid sex?
Is it possible that there are also providers that not only work in the sex business for income but also to self-medicate (so to speak) for depression?
When feeling depressed, a nice date and sexual encounter do the trick without any evil side effects (If you don't count draining my bank account a bit.)
I wish my health plan would cover the hobby.
You mean that is not covered in Obamacare? DAMN!
Dear Œ,
Indeed, many people, not just "highly sexually active," self-medicate with all sorts of things, including sex. But we need to separate compulsive behavior such as extreme amounts of time "studying review sites" and "thinking about providers" from sexual activity itself. As to providers - if you are depressed, it's not going to work very well to provide on a professional basis. It may seem like just sex to you, but being a provider is actually a profession, a job. Hence, you don't take a job like that because you are depressed, although a stressful and sexually invasive job may actually CAUSE depression.
In my practice, I see many men who have been branded by other therapists as "sex addicts." We - my clients and I - quickly come to the conclusion that this is very erroneous. Instead, there are issues such as ADHD, chemical imbalances in the brain, anxiety disorders, etc. Rarely major depressive disorder, as people who are floridly depressed generally do not have sex or interact intimately with others - they mostly withdraw. Some individuals with dysthymia may engage in sexual activity - after all, less serotonin in your brain can contribute to elevated arousal - but sexual activity in itself is generally not sought by people who are clinically depressed in terms of diagnosis. Anxiety disorders and compulsive disorders however - sex certainly seems to be a palliative for some.
Hope that works,
The Love Goddess
Recent research supports from a neurological perspective that humans have an actual need to share intimate time with other humans. Prolonged periods of loneliness can contribute to depression but, as LG said, when one is genuinely depressed, sex is not all that appealing.
IMHO, using providers to deal with loneliness is a poor choice for anything other than a very brief interlude when one may be on a business trip, etc. The key to dealing with loneliness is not to pay people to spend time with you, it's to find ways to engage others in genuine relationships.
It is possible that some people may find that the right providers can help them develop the confidence to go out and establish those relationships, though. I've known several providers who truly viewed their profession as a form of therapy.