Why worry: 'Thought of sex is always on my mind'

A reader who wishes to remain anonymous asks: I am a 28-year-old  unmarried man.

My problem is that I feel bored at work. Most of the time, I don’t enjoy the company of my colleagues. I have the urge to get out of office as early as possible and sometimes I get out of office early. Also, I have an increased libido drive. Thought of sex is always on my mind. Nowadays, I keep searching for porn videos and think of sex all the time. I am losing my concentration.

I want to get married as early as possible. Sometimes, while watching material that gives me sexual pleasure I indulge in tickling myself. After that, I feel energetic, but the next day I feel lazy again.

Please give me some tips to overcome this problem.

Karine Yazbek, (Clinical Psychologist, LightHouse Arabia, Dubai) replies: From what you are describing it looks like there are two main issues going on: Increased libido, which is leading to frequent need for sexual activities, and overall lack of motivation and energy that is manifested by decreased concentration and need for isolation.

The fact that you are unhappy at work adds to your other feelings a slight trait of depression, which you might be dealing with by developing addiction to sex (to manage your boredom).

I think you need to develop other alternatives than purely sexual because you run the risk of becoming addicted to it, especially porn movies and it will take away the possibility of finding other ways to cope with your discomfort.

When any activity becomes compulsive it can impair one’s functioning.

I suggest you limit your sexual activity and try to identify exactly what is going on in your thoughts.

If you are unhappy at work try to resolve what is not working or find another job.

Now, you could be unhappy because you are bored and want to isolate in order to indulge in sexual activity. If this is the case, try to establish a list of activities that you use to enjoy such as exercising, photography, reading etc... Try to set some objectives in your life that are healthy. This will help your mind switch focus from sexual activities to other tasks that are also pleasurable.

Increased libido might be associated with a mood disorder called bipolar disorder, so if you experiment periods when you feel your energy increases and sleep decreases, if you feel that you are spending much more money than usual or your self esteem is getting inflated it is preferable to seek professional help.

I hope I was able to help.

Disclaimer: This blog is a conversation and is not an alternative for treatment. The recommendations and suggestions offered by our panel of psychiatrists are their own and Gulf News will not take any responsibility for the advice they provide.