Sexual Addiction Treatment Bluffview Counseling - Dallas, TX Sexual Addiction: Do you desire to be set free from sexually compulsive thoughts and/or behaviors? Have prior attempts to stop this behavior failed? Treatment for sex addiction is one of my specialties and I am skilled, experienced, and successful in my work. One of the questions that I am as the most is "how do I know if I’m a sex addict?" I think that the best way to determine if you are a sex addict is by being honest with yourself about the negative consequences that your behaviors have or potentially have on yourself and those around you. This may include loss or potential loss of relationships, jobs, families, and time, as well as sexually transmitted diseases, anxiety, shame, depression, productivity decline, and an overall lack of peace and well being in your life. Many times our minds try to rationalize our behaviors with statements like: I am not hurting anyone else, no one has to know about this, I deserved to do this, etc. My experience is that eventually the negative consequences of our behaviors began to surface, many times with devastating effects i.e.: caught surfing porn at work or home, getting arrested for sexual behavior, or an affair being discovered. Sex addiction is a destructive and difficult problem. It ruins relationships, loses jobs, causes arrests, and destroys self esteem and physical health. Millions of people are affected by this addiction. It is not primarily a moral problem; it is a problem of out of control feelings and behaviors. However, where there is a desire to recover there is hope. For some, the addictive behavior does not progress beyond compulsive masturbation or an extensive use of pornography, phone, or computer sex services. For others, their addiction can involve illegal activities such as exhibitionism, voyeurism, obscene phone calls, child molestation, or rape. Addictive sexual behaviors may include: Compulsive masturbation Multiple affairs Consisting use of pornography Unsafe sex Sexual anorexia Multiple or anonymous partners Phone or internet sex Sexual massage, escorts, prostitutes Prostitution of self Even though those who suffer with sexual addiction are typically very aware of the negative consequences of their behaviors, they’re usually unable to successfully control their compulsion without appropriate professional treatment. Negative consequences affect all areas of life including: Social Meaningful relationships Emotional Legal Physical Financial Compulsive sexual thoughts and/or behaviors can lead to increasingly serious consequences in both the individuals’ internal and external world. The consequences may include severe depression, low self esteem, shame, self-hatred, hopelessness, despair, intense anxiety, loneliness, moral conflict, contradictions between ethical values and behaviors, fear if abandonment, spiritual bankruptcy, distorted thinking, remorse, and self deceit. 70 to 75% of sex addicts have thought about suicide. Many suffer from broken relationships and more than 40% experience severe marital and other relationship problems. Sexual activities outside the primary relationship result in loss of self esteem to both partners as well as severe stress to the relationship. The sex addict is frequently absent from their home life (physically and/or emotionally) and if they have children this usually results in a significant loss of necessary parental role modeling. Pressure is then placed on the partner to provide the majority of parental support and nurturing of the children. In response to added pressures, partners of sex addicts may develop their own addictions and compulsions, psychosomatic problems, or depression and other emotional difficulties. The cumulative effects of all of these factors can result in an unstable family environment. Physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and neglect of the children may occur. Growing up in such a home increases the risk for the next generation to also have addictive disorders. Serious health consequences of sex addiction may include a HIV infection, genital herpes, syphilis, gonorrhea, and other sexually transmitted diseases. Sex addicts have an increased risk of STD’s. Genital injury may result from excessive sexual activity or the use of sex aids and foreign objects. Addictive sadomasochistic sex can lead to physical damage to the body. Some sex addicts go to jail, lose their jobs, get sued, and of other financial and legal consequences because of their compulsive sexual behavior. Financial difficulties from the purchase of pornographic materials, use of prostitutes, telephone and computer sex, travel for the purpose is sexual contacts, another sexual activities can tax the addicts financial resources, sometimes to the point of bankruptcy, as can the expense of legal representation. 60% of addicts have faced financial difficulties, 58% engaged in illegal activities, an 83% of sex addicts also had concurrent addiction such as alcoholism, eating disorders, in compulsive gambling. Legal consequences of sexual addiction result when illegal behaviors such as voyeurism, exhibitionism, or inappropriate touching, result in arrests in incarceration. Arrest in the workplace can be part of the sex addicts repertoire, and may result in legal difficulties on the job. Over half the cases of sexual exploitation by professionals are perpetrated by sex addicts. Treatment My personal style is interactive, empathetic, and nonjudgmental. We will first work on changing and ceasing any unhealthy behaviors and then aid in understanding and healing the deeper underlying issues. This approach allows for a deepening of trust in intimacy. I work with all sexual orientations, lifestyles, and cultures. Treatment includes individual work that helps you focus on stopping the painful and troublesome behaviors. I will work with you to examine a full history of your addiction. This includes: how all of these behaviors started, what brings these behaviors on, issues in your life that may be increasing stress and triggering your sexual acting out, family of origin issues, past trauma, and current health concerns. We will work together to clearly define a treatment plan. As part of the task oriented approach, we will create the sexual sobriety plan which leads many to experience sexual abstinence for the first times in their lives. By the end of 30 days on this plan, people often report a sense of well being, relief from lying, leading double lives, a restored sense of dignity, and hope for a future free of sexually compulsive behaviors. Group therapy is recommended in addition to individual work. Group therapy is acknowledged as the most effective form of treatment for sex addicts. Group focuses on shame reduction, maintaining sobriety through high levels of accountability, the value of honesty, being congruent in an all areas of life, and expressing feelings. In addition, addicts become lonely, withdrawn, and isolated. Group therapy aids in creating safe healthy bonds with others who share similar issues. If you want freedom, better relationships, and to know what it really means to be a healthy human, I will give you practical help in breaking free from unwanted habitual sexual behaviors. Book Suggestions: Out of the Shadows: Understanding Sexual Addiction - Patrick Carnes Don't Call It Love: Recovering From Sexual Addiction - Patrick Carnes Sex Addicts Anonymous: This is the official basic text of SAA Cole Adams, LCSW CSAT 4240 W. Lovers Ln Dallas, TX 75209 cole@bluffviewcounseling.com 214-390-5800 Sitemap