How the 12 Steps Heal Sex Addicts: Step Six

Step 6: Became willing to have these defects removed.

How the 12 Steps Heal Sex Addicts: Step Three

Step 3: Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understand Him.

How the 12 Steps Heal Sex Addicts: Step One

Step 1: We admitted we were powerless over addiction and that our lives had become unmanageable.

The conviction that one can no longer engage in one’s sex addiction becomes an inarguable truth. Denial breaks down as the sex addict increasingly sees that to give way to the impulse to "pick up" has far-reaching and devastating consequences.

There are two facets of this concept in the first Step. The first "surrender," and surely the most significant, is this deep conviction that one is powerless over one’s sex addiction. One surrenders to the reality that they can never act on the impulse to "pick up." "One day at a time" is a truth that becomes an incontrovertible fact as sex addiction recovery progresses.

The second facet is that the sex addict is really surrendering their sense of uniqueness.

By Dorothy Hayden, LCSW
www.sextreatment.com

Psychopharmacology in the Treatment of Sex Addicts

By Dorothy Hayden, LCSW
www.sextreatment.com

Treatment for compulsive sexual behavior typically involves psychotherapy, self-help groups, and medication.

Certain psychiatrists hold that sexual compulsion is maintained by mood-dependent motives, and that pharmacological treatment of the underlying mood disorder can diminish the urges and cravings associated with addiction. Interventions that enhance mood/feelings regulation and behavioral inhibition also have positive effects on the ability to control impulses.

Congressman Weiner Seeks Treatment, But What Exactly For?

New York Congressman Anthony Weiner recently announced that he would enter treatment after resigning his position. Weiner went through three weeks of intense public scrutiny after he was caught sending nude pictures of himself to women over the Internet.

Couples Working Through Sex Addiction Together Can Reach Recovery, Say Experts

Pornography or sex addiction isn’t likely a topic to come up in a first date, or on many other dates thereafter.

Sexual addictions and pornography addictions remain a private matter for most people who are enduring them, or are only shared within a spouse or intimate relationship – which further complicates their chances for recovery, says a recent news article about sex addiction in the Kansas State Collegian.

Tips for Addressing Sex Addiction Treatment

It can seem that it is impossible to get too much of a good thing, but when that good thing is controlling your life, damaging all of the other good things – you have to step back and take a look at what went wrong. Such is the case for many who are dealing with a sex addiction. What often starts out as innocent exploration can turn into a full blown addiction with far-reaching consequences.

A recent Opposing Views report focused on how to get help for a sexual addiction, sharing three steps to get sex addiction therapy. The first recommendation is for the addicted individual to get involved in a healing, support or therapy type of group. Different from 12 -step groups, these groups will focus more on daily support, sharing a story and healing from past trauma.

The second recommendation is to also get involved with a 12-step group or program. The selected group may be Celebrate Recovery, Sexaholics Anonymous, Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous or other variations. The main point is to get involved and be active in completing the different steps with the support of a sponsor.

Third, he or she should turn to a therapist who can help to drill down deep into issues that the two groups listed above help to identify. It is important that the therapist understands the sex addiction; if their chosen field of study is not sex addiction, he or she may be unsure as how to properly manage treatment.

The most important thing for the sex addict is that they do not try and tackle this issue alone. Sex addiction is very powerful and without strong support, it can be very easy to fall back into old habits.

Treatments for Sex Addiction Mirror Those of Other Addictions

The first step to treating an addiction is for the individual to admit that they actually have an addiction. According to a Healthy Place report, most sex addicts are in denial that they actually have an addiction, making treatment that much more difficult. In some cases, it takes a significant – and traumatic – event to force the individual to admit he or she has a problem.

The good news is that treatments for sexual addictions are available and many focus on controlling the addictive behavior and enabling the individual to develop a healthy sexuality. The goal in treating sexual addiction is not to remove sex from the individual’s life, but to teach them how to enjoy a healthy sex life.

This is one area where the treatment of sex addiction differs from the treatment of drug or alcohol addictions. Abstinence is key in the treatment of substance addiction. And, while abstinence may be recommended for a while for the sex addict, the reality is that sex is a healthy part of life and the individual should be able to enjoy it.

To effectively treat sex addiction, the individual should enter a program that includes education about healthy sexuality, individual counseling and /or family therapy. There are also support groups and 12-step programs available to make the journey for the sex addict one they feel they do not have to take alone.

Medication may also be used in situations where obsessive-compulsive disorder contributes to the sexual addiction. Medications may include Anafranil or Prozac, or drugs known to suppress the sexual appetite, such as Depo-Lupron, which is generally used to treat prostate cancer.

The good news is that recovery from sex addiction is possible, once the individual admits to having a problem. Living a healthy sexual existence is an important part of human happiness.

Australians Increasingly Seeking Help for Sex Addiction

While the American Psychological Association is still debating over whether or not they should include sex addiction in its list of legitimate diagnosis, psychologists in Australia are reporting a rise in the volume of individuals who are seeking treatment for an addiction to sex. In fact, according to this Australian News piece, one specialist in Melbourne claims that people dealing with a sex addiction now makes up the majority of her client base.

Partner of Person with Sexual Addiction Likely to Need Treatment, Recovery Strategy

For the partner who is involved in a relationship where sexual addiction is present, the emotional and physical consequences can be devastating. This is especially true if the person involved in sexual addiction continues to deny the behavior, forcing the partner to live with invalidated fears and feelings.