According to The New York Times, a neuroscientist has come out against the argument that sex and pornography are addictive. He says that even though both shooting cocains and having an orgasm stimulate the same areas of the brain by a sudden release of dopamine, 'so does scoring a goal in a soccer game, going on a roller coaster ride,' etc.   Meanwhile, experts estimate that as many as 16 million Americans suffer from the so-called disorder, and a huge number of people are being treated in the UK. I've definitely seen compulsive sexual behaviour ruin lives, and I think the scientists may be missing the point. This addiction isn't just about the sex: It's the adrenaline rush of seeking out encounters to reduce anxiety or pain - I think that watching porn or masturbating becomes about the psychological as much as the physical addiction for sex addicts, in the same way that cigarette smokers crave the oral fixation as much as the nicotine rush  Or maybe the scientists are right, and they are just using it as an excuse for bad behaviour.