Session 6: X3pure Men’s SeriesBrain’s Reward System & Sexual Addiction

Review

Review• Three parts of the Brain’s Reward System

Review• Three parts of the Brain’s Reward System

• Nucleus Accumbens

Review• Three parts of the Brain’s Reward System

• Nucleus Accumbens

• Prefrontal Cortex

Review• Three parts of the Brain’s Reward System

• Nucleus Accumbens

• Prefrontal Cortex

• Amygdala

Review• Three parts of the Brain’s Reward System

• Nucleus Accumbens

• Prefrontal Cortex

• Amygdala

- When dopamine is released here, you experience that sense of pleasure associated with a given reward.

Review• Three parts of the Brain’s Reward System

• Nucleus Accumbens

• Prefrontal Cortex

• Amygdala

- When dopamine is released here, you experience that sense of pleasure associated with a given reward.

- When dopamine is released here, your reasoning, ability to think and make good decisions, is slowed down.

Review• Three parts of the Brain’s Reward System

• Nucleus Accumbens

• Prefrontal Cortex

• Amygdala

- When dopamine is released here, you experience that sense of pleasure associated with a given reward.

- When dopamine is released here, your reasoning, ability to think and make good decisions, is slowed down.

- When dopamine is released here you remember the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, textures and emotions associated with acquiring a given reward.

Brain’s Reward System & Addiction

Brain’s Reward System & Addiction

• Two types of addiction

Brain’s Reward System & Addiction

• Two types of addiction- Chemical addiction

Brain’s Reward System & Addiction

• Two types of addiction- Chemical addiction- Behavioral addiction

Brain’s Reward System & Addiction

• Two types of addiction- Chemical addiction- Behavioral addiction

• Chemical addiction

Brain’s Reward System & Addiction

• Two types of addiction- Chemical addiction- Behavioral addiction

• Chemical addiction- A substance introduced into the body (cocaine, methamphetamine, alcohol, etc.) that causes the brain to release neurochemicals that give us a high.

Brain’s Reward System & Addiction

• Two types of addiction- Chemical addiction- Behavioral addiction

• Chemical addiction- A substance introduced into the body (cocaine, methamphetamine, alcohol, etc.) that causes the brain to release neurochemicals that give us a high.

• Behavioral addiction

Brain’s Reward System & Addiction

• Two types of addiction- Chemical addiction- Behavioral addiction

• Chemical addiction- A substance introduced into the body (cocaine, methamphetamine, alcohol, etc.) that causes the brain to release neurochemicals that give us a high.

• Behavioral addiction- An external stimulus (food, gambling, masturbation, pornography, sex, etc.) that causes the body to release neurochemicals that give us a high.

Brain’s Reward System & Addiction

• Regardless of the substance of abuse, whether chemical or behavioral, dopamine is the driving force of the high and addiction

Brain’s Reward System & Addiction

• Regardless of the substance of abuse, whether chemical or behavioral, dopamine is the driving force of the high and addiction

Brain’s Reward System & Addiction

• Chemical vs. Behavioral

• Regardless of the substance of abuse, whether chemical or behavioral, dopamine is the driving force of the high and addiction

Brain’s Reward System & Addiction

• Chemical vs. Behavioral - Unwanted Sexual Behavior is less like a bad habit and more like a substance abuse problem.

• Regardless of the substance of abuse, whether chemical or behavioral, dopamine is the driving force of the high and addiction

Brain’s Reward System & Addiction

• Chemical vs. Behavioral - Unwanted Sexual Behavior is less like a bad habit and more like a substance abuse problem.

- Addiction, whether chemical or behavioral, is highly genetic.

• Regardless of the substance of abuse, whether chemical or behavioral, dopamine is the driving force of the high and addiction

Brain’s Reward System & Addiction

• Chemical vs. Behavioral - Unwanted Sexual Behavior is less like a bad habit and more like a substance abuse problem.

- Addiction, whether chemical or behavioral, is highly genetic.

- If chemical and behavioral addictions are similar physiologically, then the recovery processes for both are very similar.

Why Sex?

• Four A’s of internet sexual addiction

Why Sex?

• Four A’s of internet sexual addiction- Affordable

Why Sex?

• Four A’s of internet sexual addiction- Affordable

- Accessible

Why Sex?

• Four A’s of internet sexual addiction- Affordable

- Accessible

- Anonymous

Why Sex?

• Four A’s of internet sexual addiction- Affordable

- Accessible

- Anonymous

- Aggressive

Why Sex?

• Four A’s of internet sexual addiction- Affordable

- Accessible

- Anonymous

- Aggressive

Why Sex?

• With other addictions, like to alcohol or drugs, there is a 5% increase, per year, of the chance of addiction in adulthood if the developing brain is exposed just once to substances of abuse.

Reward System & Sexual Addiction

• For some, the desire to use pornography, sex, or masturbation is not just about the pleasure of doing it, but because the brain is so used to doing it that it simply cannot stop.

Reward System & Sexual Addiction

• For some, the desire to use pornography, sex, or masturbation is not just about the pleasure of doing it, but because the brain is so used to doing it that it simply cannot stop.

Reward System & Sexual Addiction

• “Addicted to being addicted.”

Example

• “Joe Schmo”

Example

• “Joe Schmo”

Example

- Certain things in his environment reminded him of the object of his addiction.

• “Joe Schmo”

Example

- Certain things in his environment reminded him of the object of his addiction. - When someone like Joe is reminded of the object of his addiction, we say he is triggered.

Reward System & Sexual Addiction

• Once the neurons in the brain have been wired to want certain sexual stimuli they are attached to the situations, circumstances and tools needed to acquire the substance of abuse.

Reward System & Sexual Addiction

Reward System & Sexual Addiction

• 3 types of triggers:

Reward System & Sexual Addiction

• 3 types of triggers:

Reward System & Sexual Addiction

• Sexual Triggers

• 3 types of triggers:

Reward System & Sexual Addiction

• Sexual Triggers

• Non-Sexual Environment Triggers

• 3 types of triggers:

Reward System & Sexual Addiction

• Sexual Triggers

• Non-Sexual Environment Triggers

• Non-Sexual Emotional Triggers

• 3 types of triggers:

Reward System & Sexual Addiction

• Sexual Triggers - Occur when the brain registers something sexual through sight, hearing, touch, taste or smell. (Ex. Someone naked, a sex scene, etc.)

• Non-Sexual Environment Triggers

• Non-Sexual Emotional Triggers

• 3 types of triggers:

Reward System & Sexual Addiction

• Sexual Triggers - Occur when the brain registers something sexual through sight, hearing, touch, taste or smell. (Ex. Someone naked, a sex scene, etc.)

• Non-Sexual Environment Triggers - Anything that has been present or previously aided someone in acting out sexually.

• Non-Sexual Emotional Triggers

• 3 types of triggers:

Reward System & Sexual Addiction

• Sexual Triggers - Occur when the brain registers something sexual through sight, hearing, touch, taste or smell. (Ex. Someone naked, a sex scene, etc.)

• Non-Sexual Environment Triggers - Anything that has been present or previously aided someone in acting out sexually.

• Non-Sexual Emotional Triggers - Happen when emotions that led to acting out sexually in the past are present at the moment.

Assignment

Assignment• Be courageous enough to tackle this issue