Documentaries and diagnosing yourself?

Former Member · March 2007

Ok, this thread is just a jumble of my thoughts, but any feedback is appreciated.

The other night I couldn't sleep and ended up watching Ulrika Johnson's "Am I A Sex Addict?" on bbc. I can't stand the woman but shows about sex and relationships usually make me sit up and ay a bit of attention.

There was an online test, which out of curiousity I took (and failed quite spectacuarly) and to be honest most of her problems about relationships I could understand and say "I've been there/ I do that ALL the time with men etc"

I don't know, I've been depressed lately and that programme seemed to make sense..I'll post a link to that test in case anyone's interested but I near enough had to say "yes" to all the quesitons...

http://www.sexhelp.com/sast.cfm

To make some kind of point concerning this thread I'll put out there - how accurate are these televised soul searching documentaries? The year of abstinence sounded like sound advice but I'm just curious.

Sorry it's so long

Former Member · March 2007

Lol i did that test and it said i was a sex addict

Former Member · March 2007

Well I scored 11.9% addict

That is so not right. I'm alot more into sex than that! Just seems that I'm not into the more "disfunctional" ones so I score lower...mind you if I'd taken that test before I got involved with my current partner I would have had a very different result :eek:

Former Member · March 2007

i scored which something like 7% addict. sounds about right.

smitherz · March 2007

Just done the test, its all shite there are too many factors to consider so it cant possibly give an accurate result

Former Member · March 2007

I don't know, in one sense I think it's good to be able to watch documentaries or read research/case studies and recognise parts of yourself or your own behaviour in them. The most obvious reason being that it is some small kind of affirmation that you're not the only person who's ever felt that way, and that they are recognised "problems". But also because - as seemingly happened in this Ulrika documentary, I didn't see it myself so forgive me if I'm way off the mark - you saw some of the reasoning strategies behind the behaviour and ways of coping with or changing the behaviour.

I wouldn't change your life according to the suggestions or advice of a TV documentary, but then I don't think you were planning to anyway

If there were practises on there that you think might be helpful for you then there'd be no harm in trying them out to see if they help you modify your behaviour in a way that makes you feel better about yourself (as fundamentally there's not really a problem with being a "sex addict" apart from the problems you feel it creates if you see what I mean). The behavioural pyschologists and experts they consult behind the scenes are bound to know their stuff and what the craic is and how to modify and understand the behaviour and diagnosis strategy - even if the inane talking heads and presenters you actually see on the programmes don't know a jot about it other than that spouting off will get their mug on TV.

Former Member · March 2007

"Your profile indicates that you have a problem. It is important that you discuss this with a trained therapist. Based on your completed profile, we recommend the following levels of care.

12 Step Groups
Therapy
Outpatient Program
Inpatient Program"

I like sex so that means I need therapy?!

Documentaries and diagnosing yourself?

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