How To Cure Sexual Addiction

Myth #: All Sex Addicts Have Multiple Partners

Fact: A person with a sex addiction may have multiple partners, only one, or none at all.

With sex addiction comes uncontrollable sexual urges, but this doesnt necessarily translate into a large number of sexual partners. Many people with sex addictions are married or in another type of committed relationship and stay true to their partners. Others are single and dont have any sexual partners.

Unfortunately, there are often consequences for the partners of sex addicts. The addicted partner may act out their compulsive behavior in several ways including:

• Extra pressure for sexual intercourse or sexual favors
• Demanding a higher frequency of sexual contact
• More assertive or aggressive behavior during sex
• Less emotional intimacy before or after sex, and in the relationship in general
• Spending excess time or money watching porn
• Manipulative behaviors
• Anger when confronted about porn use or sexual behaviors

Treating Sexual Addiction All Across Canada

If youre looking for a professional sex addiction treatment centre or someone who can provide insight into the topic of your concern then you have different options.

Our treatment center employs Certified Sexual Addiction Therapists who specialize in the treatment of sexual-based addictions.

Our CSAT team will help you develop an understanding of how and why sexual addiction begins, and help you create a healthy relationship with sex and love without compulsivity or further negative life consequences.

While some compulsive sexual behaviours are rooted in trauma and/or neglect, this may not be your case. Your CSAT will complete testing and assessments to gain an in-depth understanding of your history, your use, and collaborate with your own definition of healthy sexuality to help you create a healthy relationship with sex and love.

The Controversy Around Diagnosing Sex Addiction

The scientific community has long debated whether sex addiction is a real diagnosis. The World Health Organization recognizes sex addiction as its own mental health condition, while the American Psychological Association does not.

Some individuals claim that behaviors we classify as sex addiction are likely symptoms of other conditions. For example, people with bipolar can develop hypersexuality during a manic episode. They may have trouble controlling their sexual behaviors during this period. Others argue that sexual compulsions can and do occur independently of other diagnoses.

Stigma is also large concern in the debate. In the past, women, people in the LGBTQ+ community, and other marginalized identities have been censured for displaying too much sexuality. Clinicians diagnosed overtly sexual women with nymphomania and cured the condition by removing the labia or cutting the clitoris. Some gay men, including the famous codebreaker Alan Turing, were chemically castrated to reduce their libidos. As such, many people are wary that a diagnosis of sex addiction will be used to pathologize marginalized communities or people with naturally high sex drives.

If you believe that you or a loved one has a sex addiction, you can find a therapist here.

References:

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Looking At Underlying Causes

While alcohol and drug addiction can be caused solely by proximity and usage of a substance, sexual addiction generally contains uncovered layers that are best revealed with the help of a trained psychologist. For example, while the issue may be manifesting itself in the form of an addiction to sexual contact or content, it may be related to other aspects of the individuals life, such as previous sexual trauma, or even repressed feelings of neglect throughout history. Discussing these life experiences with a professional can help uncover ultimate causes of the sexual addiction, making it easier to alleviate the problem and eradicate it entirely.

Myth #: Sex Addiction Isnt Real

Fact: Sex addiction is a real condition with real consequences.

There is no question that sex addiction is a major problem with devastating effects. When a person has an addiction to sex, it interferes significantly with their daily life. They often want to stop thinking about or seeking out sex, but find themselves unable to. Counselors can receive specialized training in sex addiction therapy to help patients who are struggling with it.

Psychology professionals are still debating whether sex addiction truly is a disease in its own right. Currently, sex addiction is not officially classified as a disorder by the American Psychiatric Association in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , which is the primary guide for mental health diagnosis and treatment in the United States. It is, however, recognized by other medical organizations around the world. For example, the World Health Organization recently recognized compulsive sexual behavior disorder in their International Classification of Diseases.

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What Is The Prognosis Of Sexual Addiction

Studies show that the prognosis of sexual addictions depends on a number of factors, including the type of addiction, whether or not it involves paraphilic behaviors or, sexually violent behaviors, or if the person with the hypersexual disorder who engages in sexually violent behaviors suffers from another mental health diagnosis. For sexual offenders, factors that indicate a poor treatment prognosis include a higher number and more than one kind of sexual offences, having a previous criminal history, offending against boys outside their own family, low empathy for their victim, increased anger at the time of the offense, violent sexual fantasies, and attitudes that their victim enjoys it. Choosing an occupation that puts the offender in close proximity to potential victims and the use of sadomasochistic or pedophilic pornography are also associated with a worse prognosis.

What Are Complications Of Sexual Addiction

There are a number of potentially devastating complications of sexual addiction. Possible medical complications include contracting sexually transmitted diseases, including the potentially fatal human immunodeficiency virus or hepatitis B or C. Examples of occupational consequences include decreased work performance or attendance due to the preoccupation with the addiction. If the behaviors result in unwanted sexual advances on others, legal problems like sexual harassment or rape perpetration may result. Individuals whose sexual addiction involves attraction to minors might engage in child molestation.

Depending on the financial demands of the addiction, the sufferer of a sexual addiction may incur a great deal of debt or engage in illegal or otherwise unsafe activity associated with the behavior. Emotionally, individuals with a sexual addiction are at risk for terrible guilt and shame at their actions and the secrecy involved. They are also more likely to experience broken relationships, separation, divorce, and the many challenges involved.

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What If You Were Able To:

Be free from your addiction

Create a great life

Learn valuable tools to save your relationship

Be the better man you truly want to be

Develop a system that empowers you to create long-term, sustainable results

Get incredible support

Connect with other men who face the same challenges that you are going through

Response To An Opioid Overdose

If you think someone is overdosing, call 9-1-1 right away, or your local emergency help line.

Give the person naloxone if its available. Naloxone is a medication that can temporarily reverse an overdose if it is administered right away. You can give naloxone while you wait for professional help to arrive.

An overdose is always an emergency. Even if someone has taken naloxone, it can wear off before the person has completely recovered from their overdose. They may need more than one dose. Always call for help.

Follow the directions in your naloxone kit and from the 9-1-1 or emergency help line operator.

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What Is Sexual Addiction

Id say the biggest thing that most people dont understand about sexual addiction is that sex addiction isnt about sex. The way that I see it, sexual addiction is more about shame, isolation, adrenaline, and unworthiness than it is about chasing after sexual experiences.

Or, as one SAA member once so eloquently put it in a meeting that I attended, When I act out with sex workers, Im not thinking to myself Oh boy, this is going to be super fun!. But rather, Im thinking I have such a tornado of pain inside of myself that I either have to kill myself or compulsively act out to numb the pain.’

Compulsive sexual behaviour is what sex addicts use to numb out their emotions, just like alcoholics often use staying drunk to avoid feeling their underlying difficult emotions.

Sexual addiction, just like any drug addiction, can have a sliding scale of symptoms ranging in severity. For some people, sex addiction looks like chronic masturbation to porn, where they dont feel like they can function in society without climaxing at least seven times a day. For others, sex addiction could look like occasional flare ups of wanting to use or act out with sex workers only when theyre going through emotionally trying times .

Ive met hundreds of sex addicts and there is no singular unifying theme that connects all addicts at least not in terms of how they like to act out sexually.

If the behaviour has control over you, then it has likely become a problem in your life.

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Sex Addiction Treatment: Know Your Options

Sex addiction is a controversial diagnosis. Many experts, including the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors & Therapists, assert that the notion of sex addiction may needlessly pathologize people and stigmatize healthy, normal behaviors.

Others point to the immense damage some sexual behaviors can cause, exposing a person to serious infections and potentially ending relationships, in saying that sex addiction is indeed real.

If you think you might be addicted to sex, here’s what you need to know when evaluating treatment options.

Where Do I Go From Here

Getting started with SMART Recovery is easy! If you would like to get started right away, you can join our online support group where you can read, share and learn from our worldwide community of members at any time of the day or night. Our message board includes a private Sexual Maladaptive Behaviors Forum for people dealing with issues of sexual addiction. No information posted there is available to, or shared with, the rest of the SMART Message Board.

You are not required to discuss details of your addictions at SMART Recovery. You may use general terms like my addiction, my maladaptive behavior, my challenge, my impulsive activity. You might also say I had urges to act out last night without saying what your urges were for. SMART Recovery works with all types of addictions, including eating disorders, self-harm, and maladaptive sexual behavior. You are free not to reveal personal details that might make yourself or other participants uncomfortable. As with many other aspects of SMART Recovery, Discover the Power of Choice!

SMART offers a Discussion, Sexual Maladaptive Behavior Focus meeting, Sundays at 6:00 p.m. ET, facilitated by M11106. and access the meeting. This meeting offers verification per request.

There is also an SMB restricted access forum which you can request access and be approved to join.

If youd like to have printed material, we suggest getting the SMART Recovery Handbook.

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How Is Sexual Addiction Hypersexuality Treated

Sexual addiction, or hypersexuality, is treated with a combination of medications, psychotherapy and self-help group therapy.

Medications

No medication is specifically approved to treat sexual addiction. However, medications that act on your brains urge and behavior hormones and chemicals and that are prescribed for similar medical conditions can be tried. Your healthcare provider will prescribe medications that are best suited for you, considering any other mental health conditions you may have.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy involves a variety of techniques. During psychotherapy, youll talk with a mental health professional wholl help you identify and manage factors that might be triggering your hypersexuality behaviors. Psychotherapy is provided to individuals, as well as to families and couples, since all are affected by an individuals sexual addiction.

• Cognitive behavioral therapy. This type of psychotherapy focuses on replacing negative thoughts and behaviors with other ways to better cope and reduce the impulse to have sex.
• Acceptance and commitment therapy. This psychotherapy uses acceptance and mindfulness strategies. Its goal is for individuals to accept distress and to change the relationship with their thoughts rather than changing the thoughts themselves.
• Motivational interviewing. This psychotherapy guides individuals through the process of exploring their sexual addiction in the context of your personal goals and values.

Self-help support groups

The Link Between Sex Offenders And Sex Addiction

It is unfortunate, but there is an association between people who suffer from sex addiction and sex offenders. Roughly half of convicted sex offenders can be diagnosed with a sex addiction. However, what is missing is a deviation between the two groups. It is commonly believed that people can become addicted to sex due to a chemical reaction in the brain. For sex offenders, it is accepted that they do not act for sexual gratification. They instead act out of a perverse need for power, dominance, control, revenge, or even anger. Not all sex offenders are addicted to sex, and not everyone who is addicted to sex will become a sex offender.

David Hampton

• David embarked on his journey into sobriety in June of 2005, which led him to his current career path as a Certified Professional Addiction Recovery Coach in private practice in Greater Nashville. David is also a public speaker and the author of two books. David is cohost of the weekly Positive Sobriety Podcast, as well as being a frequent contributor to various articles and recovery based materials. As a member of the National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors , David works closely with area treatment centers, recovery orientated nonprofit organizations, as well as being a keynote speaker for various recovery-focused events.

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Choosing The Dawn Rehab For Sex Addiction Treatment

Located in Chiang Mai, Thailand, The Dawn Rehab offers highly-personalised and intensive treatment that is tailored to offer our clients the best chance of recovery. We use a holistic and non-religious approach that is applicable to anyone in recovery.

Our team of addiction professionals is licensed and qualified to treat all kinds of addiction. Aside from treating sex addiction, the team will be able to give you an evaluation to recognise any other existing disorders or conditions that could be getting in the way of your recovery, whether it is drug addiction, alcohol addiction or childhood trauma.

If you or someone you know is living with sex addiction, it is time to get treated and to start building a happier and healthier life. Contact The Dawn today to receive a no obligation assessment and find out how we can help.

How Do I Know If I Have A Problem And What Sort Of Help Do I Need*

*This is in no way intended as a substitute for professional advice!

Only you can decide if a behavior is a problem in your life it has to come from you, otherwise, change will be superficial and short-lived.

A simple way of self-diagnosing is to ask yourself the three questions that characterize ALL addictions.

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What Is Problematic Opioid Use

Problematic substance use happens when someone uses drugs or alcohol in a way that has harmful effects on their health and life.

Problematic opioid use is using opioids that are not prescribed to you or not following the instructions from your doctor and pharmacist. It also includes using illegal opioids.

**what You Dont Have To Do

• Never again will you lack the structure you need to create healthy sexuality and sustainable results.
• Youll never wonder whats next because we have your back step by step from compulsion to freedom.
• You can do all this without declaring that you are diseased for life, powerless or wave a white flag and surrender to anyone EVER !

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Whats The Outlook For Sex Addiction

The person addressing sex addiction faces a unique set of challenges. They may be engaging in behaviors that put their relationships, their own safety and health, and the health of their partner in jeopardy. At the same time, sex addiction is considered a controversial diagnosis and its lacking diagnostic criteria as well as evidence-based treatments.

If you feel that you have a sex addiction, begin by talking with your family doctor. There are also organizations that can provide support.

If you or a loved one is experiencing sex addiction, these resources may be helpful: