Is escorting addictive

[Newly]

I apologize in advance since I know this topic has come up in various ways in the past, but now that I'm not quite as new at this I was wondering how hard it is for an escort to make a clean break from escorting? The escorts I've seen seem to not have too many bad clients and earn a fair amount of money; in many cases more than they probably could in "normal" jobs. Trying to look at it from their point of view earning a fair amount of money and having regular clients who idolize them would make it hard to quit - "easy money" is always addictive. Unlike 10 years ago the outside job market is not so great and thanks to the internet one's past is always out there waiting to be discovered. Is leaving escorting just a vague thought that you have because you figure that at some point you'll tire of it or be too old or whatever, or do you have a concrete plan with goals, time frames and so forth? I'm just wondering because of what appears to be a bit of a revolving door type of thing in the world of escorting.

[+ poolboy48220]

I know there are a lot of long-time escorts out there, but the majority of the guys I've seen (and the count is up to 164, I've been keeping track since the thread of a month or two ago) move on after a couple of years. I'd have to add another column to my worksheet but off the top of my head I'd say 90% are no longer in the business.

[Becket]

Dangerous to generalize obviously. But I feel for those guys who are a bit older and have escorted since they were younger. Many see their client base shrinking. (How many times have we read, or said, "He looks nothing like his pics! He's gotten older/fatter/grayer/balder, etc.) Most of them have no sound exit strategy nor have the saved much money. They grow weary of the hazards of the occupation, yet have few other options. It's tough.

 

I'd be interested to hear the success stories of those escorts who have successfully transitioned into another occupation.

[Keenan]

I started escorting during my senior year of high school and then throughout college to help pay for college. I am 25 now and still escorting but what I can say is that from my experience it can be a challenge at times to leave escorting. Not that it's impossible but even when you need the extra money it's something that is always there for you to consider. Also by no means is escorting easy. Not only do we have to "cater" to all types of guys we also need to many times be ready to meet with guys at a moments notice. Once again as I say it's not impossible to leave escorting but that also depends on an escorts needs and wants.

 

Keenan

 

I apologize in advance since I know this topic has come up in various ways in the past, but now that I'm not quite as new at this I was wondering how hard it is for an escort to make a clean break from escorting? The escorts I've seen seem to not have too many bad clients and earn a fair amount of money; in many cases more than they probably could in "normal" jobs. Trying to look at it from their point of view earning a fair amount of money and having regular clients who idolize them would make it hard to quit - "easy money" is always addictive. Unlike 10 years ago the outside job market is not so great and thanks to the internet one's past is always out there waiting to be discovered. Is leaving escorting just a vague thought that you have because you figure that at some point you'll tire of it or be too old or whatever, or do you have a concrete plan with goals, time frames and so forth? I'm just wondering because of what appears to be a bit of a revolving door type of thing in the world of escorting.

[jimboivyo]

Dangerous to generalize obviously. But I feel for those guys who are a bit older and have escorted since they were younger. Many see their client base shrinking. (How many times have we read, or said, "He looks nothing like his pics! He's gotten older/fatter/grayer/balder, etc.) Most of them have no sound exit strategy nor have the saved much money. They grow weary of the hazards of the occupation, yet have few other options. It's tough.

 

I'd be interested to hear the success stories of those escorts who have successfully transitioned into another occupation.

 

 

and then there are those escorts who get better looking with age. plenty of them around

 

the few escorts I see are smart and capable. they choose to escort but could leave anytime and be successful somewhere else I reckon

[Guest Starbuck]

... and then there are those escorts who get better looking with age... plenty of them around

 

I was thinking the same thing. So far, I've only hired one guy in his 30s; the rest have been over 40, admirably fit, smart and sexy--and not bald (although that wouldn't be a disqualifier for me). Among them, there's a guy with a serious professional job in DC, one who is completing a PhD in literature and another who conceived and launched an innovative business separate from his escorting career.

 

I don't doubt that there are a fair share of horror stories of guys who failed to have a "big picture" plan, but there are also some really impressive fellows who have "used" escorting very effectively to help achieve their goals. In my limited experience, they're also guys with a real commitment to their clients ... feels like they approach everything they do with a commitment to succeed. In any kind of business, they're the type of men you'd like to see mentoring the younger guys who could benefit from their insights, experience and perspective.

[bigvalboy]

I was thinking the same thing. So far, I've only hired one guy in his 30s; the rest have been over 40, admirably fit, smart and sexy--and not bald (although that wouldn't be a disqualifier for me). Among them, there's a guy with a serious professional job in DC, one who is completing a PhD in literature and another who conceived and launched an innovative business separate from his escorting career.

 

I don't doubt that there are a fair share of horror stories of guys who failed to have a "big picture" plan, but there are also some really impressive fellows who have "used" escorting very effectively to help achieve their goals. In my limited experience, they're also guys with a real commitment to their clients ... feels like they approach everything they do with a commitment to succeed. In any kind of business, they're the type of men you'd like to see mentoring the younger guys who could benefit from their insights, experience and perspective.

 

I agree, I don't think all escorts are addicted to escorting, but I think you are right, many use escorting as a 'means to and end' and probably more than we realize. The ones that I have met over the years both working alone and with a partner, had specific financial goals in mind. two of the duo's where going to spend a couple of years with intense traveling, saving every penny they could and sacrificing to start a business that they were passionate about. For them, sacrificing for a few years was well worth the effort.

[+ poolboy48220]

One escort from years ago was paying his way through law school, only did it for a few years, and is doing quite well for himself as a lawyer now.

[bigvalboy]

One escort from years ago was paying his way through law school, only did it for a few years, and is doing quite well for himself as a lawyer now.

 

And as I recall, Alec and Ryan announced business plans the other day, which is most admirable..

[bcohen7719]

I agree, I don't think all escorts are addicted to escorting, but I think you are right, many use escorting as a 'means to and end' and probably more than we realize. The ones that I have met over the years both working alone and with a partner, had specific financial goals in mind. two of the duo's where going to spend a couple of years with intense traveling, saving every penny they could and sacrificing to start a business that they were passionate about. For them, sacrificing for a few years was well worth the effort.

 

Instead of "addiction" one might use the word "dependency." Addiction has more to do with chemical substances; dependency relates more to behavioral patterns where positive reinforcement keeps up repetitive patterns.

That jargon aside, the answer is probably "yes" because of a combination of the very smart answers already provided. In this lousy economy, the easy, usually unreported income is too attractive for younger escorts

to give up. Many really do seem to have a common regrettable pattern of problems like short attention span

and binge spending, although as one commentator noted, it is dangerous to generalize. Escorting is increasing seen as a viable alternative occupation. A downside is the probable exposure to a greater variety of sexually transmittable diseases and infections, which must also have some impact on how athletic and attractive one can keep their body.

[Newly]

Besides the possibility of contracting an STD (and since younger guys have always thought they were invincible that's probably not a big issue in their minds) I think about what a difference the internet has made. Part of being young is making mistakes or trying different things, but in the past you could put that behind you and move on. Now with the internet everything you do is out there for the public to see for all eternity. More and more employers are researching potential hires and even dates will see what they can find out about you. Although since we're on the board we probably are much more accepting of escorting as a life choice I would guess that a huge percentage of the general population regardless of their sexual orientation would not be so accepting. That seems to be something that would make it harder for someone to leave escorting, or at the very least would be something that would potentially follow you for the rest of your life. I guess you could say that if someone can't accept your past they're not someone you would be interested, but you don't really have that choice when it comes to a potential employer or new career, and we often can't control who we are attracted to.

[+ newatthis]

...Now with the internet everything you do is out there for the public to see for all eternity. More and more employers are researching potential hires and even dates will see what they can find out about you. Although since we're on the board we probably are much more accepting of escorting as a life choice I would guess that a huge percentage of the general population regardless of their sexual orientation would not be so accepting...

Yes, but....I speculate that just as the "younger" generation is more and more accepting of gays and gay marriage and less into labels, they may well be more accepting of escorting (or rather, of having been an escort). And some day that generation is going to be doing the hiring and firing.

 

All of us are just contributing anecdotes; we don't have wide enough experience to generalize (except maybe poolboy LOL). In that spirit, I can add that I know several escorts who have successfully transitioned out and into more mainstream careers, including someone who did it quite openly in his 20's for a few years (used his own pictures online, real name, etc.) who gradually gave up advertising, found a real job, and finally stopped seeing even those few clients he had kept on during the transition.

[Sailor]

I've been thinking about this, and yes, yup, on some level it is addictive and I guess I am a bit hooked on escorting. Not just the money, but the focus, the attention. The desire. Men tend to be more keyed in when they're paying, really that is hard to beat. Also, some of the coolest, nicest, open, free thinking men I've met are clients, and chances are we wouldn't have met if they hadn't booked me.

I feel a lot like I exist in a sensual bubble, so when I'm booked with a client, I just switch into gear.