When people have a sex addiction, it can cause damage to relationships and finances. It can also lead to sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies. Depending on how severe the addiction is, people may suffer from feelings of intense guilt and shame. Fortunately, there is hope for recovery from these behaviors. The first step is admitting there’s a problem.
Once you’ve admitted that you have a sex addiction, therapy is a valuable tool for helping you recover. Therapists who specialize in sex addiction treatment use a variety of therapeutic techniques to help you overcome your compulsive behavior and learn healthier coping mechanisms. They may use cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, to help you identify the triggers that cause you to engage in sexually destructive behaviors and reevaluate the distortions of your thoughts that contribute to those behaviors. They might also use psychodynamic therapy to address deeper emotional issues that can be at the root of your sex addiction.
Additionally, therapists might recommend trauma therapies such as somatic experiencing and post induction therapy to help you process and move past the traumatic experiences that have led to your sex addiction. They might also use body-focused approaches such as EMDR to help you ground yourself in the present with healthy boundaries. They might also utilize group support groups like Sex Addicts Anonymous, which follow the same 12-step recovery model as Alcoholics Anonymous and can be helpful in maintaining accountability to yourself when you’re tempted to engage in compulsive sexual behavior. sex addiction therapy