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The ready availability of cyber sex and online pornography has contributed to an increase in the number of people suffering from sexual addiction, said Dr. Vicki Wyatt, a certified sexual addiction therapist.

Wyatt presented the topic, “What EVERYONE should know about Love, Sex, and Porn Addiction” to an audience of 25 on campus March 6.

OCCC’s Student Support Representative Jenna Howard opened the seminar by introducing Wyatt.

Although Wyatt offered some definitions of sex addiction, she reminded her listeners that no two cases are alike.

Wyatt gave resources so listeners could take surveys to determine if they, or someone they know, have characteristics of sex addiction

Wyatt said that a sex addict is different from a regular person.

“They can’t stop their behavior,” she said. “Their behavior defines them.”

She also said, like an alcohol problem or drug addiction, a sex addiction can cause withdrawal symptoms such as mood changes upon withdrawal.

These symptoms require time and treatment to overcome. She described the life of sex addicts as “out of control” and “unmanageable” because the addiction takes time from valuable parts of their lives.

Wyatt said there is more than one form of sexual compulsion. These include fantasy and seductive role sex.

The addict does not even have to engage in sexual acts to be addicted.

In total, Wyatt went on to describe 10 different types of sexual addictions.

When talking about cyber sex and porn addiction, Wyatt said easy access to pornographic material via the Internet fuels the problem.

Partaking of sexual stimulation electronically can make addicts feel more secure about doing it because they don’t actually engage in physical sexual contact, Wyatt said.

Wyatt used a slideshow with many quotes, charts and statistics from Dr. Patrick Carnes, the founder of “Sex Help,” a program that diagnoses and treats symptoms of sex addiction.

Wyatt said Carnes is presenting a Chance to Change Workshop on May 18 at Crossings Community Church and urged her audience to attend.

Before closing her speech, Wyatt introduced Jerry Wright, a colleague of hers who battled sex addiction for 47 years, starting when he was only 9 years old.

Wright drove home the message by reassuring addicts that they were not alone and encouraging them to get the help they deserve.

Erica Vasquez, a business major at OCCC, said she took away a lesson from the seminar.

“Anyone can have a sex addiction,” she said.

Vasquez, who attended the seminar for extra credit for a class, said she believes sex addiction can be a major issue in any community.

For more information on the subject, visit www.wyattgroup.biz.

To contact Shalya Allen, email onlineeditor@occc.edu.