Every small step in the right direction
becomes the start of something amazing
If you are reading this, then you may be wondering if you or someone you love is struggling with sexual addiction. To simply define sexual addiction is, it may be beneficial to characterize it by the following categories (Herring, 2017):
- Problematic sexual behaviors that conflict with a person's commitments
- Problematic sexual behaviors that conflict with a person's values
- Problematic sexual behaviors that conflict with a person's self-control
- Problematic sexual behaviors that often result in negative consequences or potential negative consequences
Some sexually compulsive behaviors include but are not limited to:
- Pornography
- Cybersex (internet porn, chat rooms and other adult websites)
- Compulsive masturbation
- Affairs or multiple partners
- Professional boundary violations
- Exhibitionism
- Voyeurism
- Paying for sex
- Strip clubs
Treatment
Treatment often begins with an assessment to determine if the client is truly struggling with sexual addiction or whether there are other reasons for these types of problematic sexual behaviors. Once it is determined that the person is struggling with sexual addiction, the next step in treatment is to learn appropriate and effective skills and tools to stop and maintain a freedom from sexually compulsive behaviors. Following sobriety from sexually compulsive behaviors, it becomes important to learn how this addiction came to be and what could be possibly fueling it from the past or present. Lastly, treatment focuses on repair and recovery in the addict's relationship with self and partners.
Without treatment, recovery from sexual addiction can be very difficult. Sexual health is the objective of treatment, where sexuality should be an integral and balanced part of everyone's life. Overcoming sexual addictions requires commitment, hard work and settling for nothing less than a full recovery. With it comes integrity, true intimacy and joy.
If you are wondering, "Am I a Sex Addict?", you can visit www.sexhelp.com for a quick assessment.