What to Do About a Sexting Addiction

What might seem fun at first could causes issues if it goes too far

Man looking at his phone

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Sexting is the practice of sending or receiving sexual text messages. It can be a way to stay connected to your partner when you're apart. For some people, sending sexually explicit material via digital devices might lead to becoming addicted to sexting.

While sexting addiction is not a diagnosable mental health condition, many experts say it can be part of sexual addiction and significantly impact daily functioning.

At a Glance

Being addicted to sexting might look like becoming preoccupied with sending or receiving sexual text messages. People with a sexting addiction might ignore responsibilities and relationships to engage in this behavior. It's not a diagnosable disorder, but that doesn't mean this behavior can't take a toll on a person's life, relationships, and well-being. 

Learn more about how to spot the signs and how you can get help if you think you might be addicted to sexting.

What Is Sexting?

Sexting refers to the act of sending sexually explicit messages, photos, images or videos via cell phone, computer, or any digital device. Sexting can include photos and videos containing nudity or showing simulated sex acts, but can also include text messages, private messages, or emails that discuss or propose sex acts.

Not all sexting is harmful or addictive. Couples may exchange sexts as part of their romantic or sexual activity.

Sexting is typically carried out deliberately, with people sending sexts about themselves. But sometimes, sext messages that contain sexually explicit material about someone else can be sent, in some cases when the subject of the sexts has not given consent. Research has found that 12% of teenagers have forwarded sext messages without consent.

Sexts can also be sent to someone who does not wish to receive sexually explicit material. Nearly 14% of teenagers report receiving unwanted sexting images.

Because sexting is a recent phenomenon, it has not yet been adequately researched, and healthy limits to sexting have not yet been worked out. However, many people have found themselves in trouble over sexually explicit sexts.

One of the worst-case scenarios is when teenagers sext sexually explicit pictures of themselves and are subsequently accused of distributing child pornography.

Sexting and Sex Addiction

With mobile devices making sexting constantly available, sexting addiction has become more widespread. In fact, some estimates suggest that online porn addiction and sexting comprise the most common subtype of internet addiction.

Sexting can be a symptom or manifestation of sexual addiction, an illness like other addictions that causes destructive consequences. For some, sexting is the primary behavior involved in sexual addiction. 

For others, an all-consuming interest in pornography, sexual encounters with sex workers, pathological infidelity, or cybersex relationships can be the main focus of the addiction. 

Sexual addiction is related to obsessive and compulsive thoughts and actions, and the inability to control behavior, even when the addiction is destroying finances, self-esteem, a career, and even family relationships.

Similar to other addictions, sexual addiction is progressive. This means that the person who has a sexual addiction will spend more and more time and energy engaging in the specific behaviors related to their addiction.

People who have a sex addiction often seek more intense experiences as the addiction progresses to achieve the same "high" they once got from more benign activities.

Sexting Addiction Risk Factors

Certain people are more likely than others to develop a problem with sexting, including those with:

  • Another type of sexual addiction
  • Distorted body image
  • Low self-esteem
  • Untreated sexual dysfunction

Signs of Sexting Addiction

Some signs that you might be addicted to sexting include:

  • Your sexting affects your ability to function in your daily life
  • Your personal relationships have suffered as a result of your sexting
  • You ignore work or school because you are busy sexting
  • You turn down invitations to social events so you can stay home and sext
  • You are hiding your sexting from your partner

So how can you tell if sexting is becoming an addiction for you or someone you care about? As with all addictions, sexting becomes problematic if it interferes with your daily activities and hurts your personal or professional life.

For example, it's a problem if your sexting prevents you from completing work or school responsibilities or if you’d rather spend hours sexting than attending social or family functions.

Yet another sign of addiction would be sexting with another person behind your partner’s back or sexting with multiple partners just to get a "fix," without knowing who they are or having any intent to form personal relationships.

What to Do If You're Addicted to Sexting

Treating a sexting addiction often requires support from professionals. Treatment can be particularly complicated because refraining from the use of a mobile phone is not practical in today's environment. With that temptation always in hand, people addicted to sexting must be vigilant about relapsing.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Working with a psychologist who can provide the most effective treatment methods, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), will be essential. CBT focuses on addressing the thoughts, behaviors, and coping mechanisms that play a part in addictive behavior.

A trained mental health professional can help you or someone you care about develop effective relapse-prevention skills to help address sexting addiction.

Family Therapy

Your relationships may have suffered due to your sexting, so family therapy may also be part of your recovery. While there are no established medications used to treat sex addiction, medications may be prescribed if you have cooccurring anxiety or mood disorder.

Sex Addiction Programs

Because sexting and pornography addiction are becoming more common, many new inpatient and outpatient centers focusing on treating these disorders have become available worldwide.

Other types of sex addiction therapy can also be helpful. Such treatments may involve psychodynamic therapy, exposure therapy, motivational enhancement therapy, and couples therapy.

Medications

In some cases, medications may be prescribed to help people manage some symptoms of sexting addiction. This may include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) to help stabilize moods and manage cravings and obsessions.

Naltrexone, a medication that can be used to treat opiate addiction and alcohol use disorder, is sometimes used off-label in treating sex addiction.

Support Groups

In addition, a self-help support group program such as Sex Addicts Anonymous can be helpful in achieving and maintaining recovery.

If you or a loved one are struggling with sexting or a sex addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database.

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Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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By Elizabeth Hartney, BSc, MSc, MA, PhD
Elizabeth Hartney, BSc, MSc, MA, PhD is a psychologist, professor, and Director of the Centre for Health Leadership and Research at Royal Roads University, Canada.