Sex addiction can be very difficult to identify and a lot of sufferers are embarrassed about coming forward about it. Firstly, there’s still a lot of stigma surrounding sex addiction and secondly, the addict will have almost always betrayed their partner which means that they have to admit infidelity.
Many people wonder how it’s even possible to overcome a sex addiction. If you’re addicted to cocaine or alcohol for example, you recover by abstaining from these substances for life. As sex is a normal and healthy part of loving relationships however, recovering addicts don’t abstain from it which makes recovery seem very confusing.
If you’re suffering from sexual addiction and are wondering how or even why you should seek help, here are five great reasons to go into recovery.
You will be free from your addiction
The most obvious reason to recover from a sex addiction is that you will be free from the very thing that has taken such huge control over your life. Any addict will know that their brain is constantly pre-occupied with thoughts of sex and when they can get their next fix.
Obviously this can become very distracting in everyday life. You might not be able to focus at work, you could make excuses not to see friends and family and you will actively seek out ways to engage in sexual activities.
Becoming free of this means that you will be able to function normally once again which naturally results in less stress and anxiety.
You will adopt healthier behaviors
Most people who have experienced sex addiction and who have taken their recovery seriously, go on to become healthy individuals with happy relationships.
Something you will learn when receiving sexual addiction counselling is what boundaries are and how important they are. It’s developing these strong boundaries that will allow you to protect yourself from slipping back into old habits. For example, you may realize that there are certain places you can’t visit, websites to stay clear of and even avoiding people you feel you may develop strong sexual feelings towards.
You will learn to love yourself
There are many things that can lead to someone becoming an addict but there is normally an underlying reason that is related to something that has happened in the past. When someone receives sexual addiction treatment, they learn the importance of self-care. You will be taught to recognize that it’s important to take care of yourself in a healthy way and to keep the things in your life that bring you value and happiness.
You will develop healthier and more meaningful relationships
Sex addiction is often associated with betrayal. As well as keeping the secret of having an addiction, infidelity is very common. Naturally, this can make it very difficult to form healthy and loving relationships with a partner.
If your partner has been made aware of your addiction, they may put up barriers to prevent themselves getting hurt, they may have resentment towards you and they may even fear that being intimate with you could make your problems worse.
In addition to the practical issues which come up in relationships, sex addicts have what is called an “intimacy disorder”. While this is not the topic of this post, suffice it to say that sex addicts have a difficult time forming intimate relationships even without the added issues mentioned above. Effective treatment for sex addiction will address this deeper issue of intimacy as well.
Resolve past issues
As we mentioned earlier, addiction is normally the outcome of a traumatic event that has happened in our past. Sex addiction recovery is not only a step in the right direction for your problem, it can also help you to achieve peace with yourself once and for all.
If you think that you or someone you know could be a sex addict, please feel free to contact Toronto Trauma & Addiction Counselling in the strictest of confidence and we will be more than happy to help.
Alternatively, you can complete the Sexual Addiction Screening Test (SAST-R) to determine whether or not you qualify for sexual addiction treatment.
