It's easy for people with a healthy sexual appetite to mock and undermine the concept of sex addiction. To those for whom sex is a fun or fulfilling part of life, sex addiction may sound like a weak excuse for greedy and irresponsible sexual excess. If only it were that simple.

I would invite anyone who questions the notion of sex addiction being a real problem to reflect on why anyone would seek help if it was so much fun. Why would they put themselves through the daily cycle of secrecy and shame, lust and frustration, if it was all about having a good time? And why on earth would they ask anyone for help, if they were enjoying it so much?

What sex addicts need more than anything is compassion and understanding from other human beings. Maybe if they had had enough of that in the first place, they wouldn't have this problem. So please, don't judge what you don't understand.

And if you are overcoming a sexual addiction, and are struggling with how to start a new relationship, rest assured that there is hope for finding ways of enjoying intimacy.

Exercise addiction is probably the most contradictory of all the addictions. Not only is exercise a widely promoted health behavior, it is an important part of recovery from another addiction, and an effective part of treatment for depression and other mental health problems. This is because exercise has many psychological benefits, as well as physical benefits. In fact, the positive effects of exercise, and particularly outdoor exercise are on a par with medications as a treatment for depression, which often co-occurs with or underlies addictions.

Yet, like everything else, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. And it is possible to develop an addiction to exercise, in much the same way you can develop an addiction to behaviors and substances widely known to be harmful, such as gambling and alcohol.

So how do you know whether you are engaged in a healthy lifestyle, or whether you have a problem? Well, the first step is to understand what an addiction is. Think about how you would feel if you were unable to exercise for a day, a week, or indefinitely. Would it bother you? Would it be a nice rest? Most importantly, would you find it hard to cope with life without daily exercise?

If you feel distressed at the thought of not being able to exercise every day, and at a loss for how you would manage your feelings and get through the day and night without exercising at some point, it may be time to seek help. Unfortunately, exercise addiction is not well recognised, so may not be as well-resourced as other addictions, such as alcohol and drugs. However, your family doctor should be able to advise you, and you may be able to access support through an addictions clinic. Psychologists are usually well-trained in helping people manage change in their lives, so finding a psychologist to support you may also be an option.

If you are exercising frequently, but are not really concerned about how it would feel if you couldn't exercise, you are probably not addicted, although it may be worth discussing how much exercise is healthy for you with your family doctor, or someone with expertise in exercise, such as a personal trainer or gym instructor. The amount and type of exercise that is healthy will depend on many factors, including your age, health, sex, and physical condition. If you find it hard to limit your exercise to what they advise, it may be time to seek help.

A new study, published in the journal "Sleep," indicated that people who attempt to combat insomnia through through self-medication spend far more on alcohol (an estimated $339.8 million in the province where the study was based) than on either prescription medications ($16.5 million), or over the-counter products ($1.8 million). Information on illicit drug use was not included.

The Province newspaper, which ran an article on the study, quoted sleep expert, Dr Adam Moscovitch, as saying, "When you knock yourself out as a way of dealing with [insomnia]...then alcohol has a very negative effect on your sleep. It deprives you of...the deep stages of sleep and, once it wears off, it has a rebound effect. So your problem becomes much worse."

If you are drinking or drugging as an attempt to get a good night's sleep, try these strategies instead.

The Georgia Straight newspaper reported today that a batch of contaminated cocaine has been identified in South-Western British Columbia, and has already made 10 people seriously ill.

The cocaine, which contains hog dewormer called levamisole, can be identified up to 48 hours after consumption, prompting the availability of urine testing for users through the BC Centre for Disease Control and a lab in Alberta. Urine can be taken and frozen, then transported to the lab for testing. It can also be identified through the cocaine itself.

The effects may not be obvious, and include fever. It is particularly harmful to people with compromised immune systems, for example, through HIV or hepatitis infection. If you have acquired or consumed cocaine from this area, you are recommended to visit your doctor as soon as possible for testing.