Sex Addiction Treatment Programs

If thinking about sex has taken over your life, you might have a sex addiction problem. Sex addiction can be embarrassing because we’ve been socialized not to talk openly about sex or sexual problems. If you’re struggling with an obsession with sex or an addiction to porn, help is available. You don’t have to suffer in silence; you can get sex addiction treatment. Call 800-660-0986 or fill out a quick contact form to begin getting help for sex addiction.

Signs You Are Addicted To Sex

People sometimes confuse sex addiction with having an unusually high sex drive. However, a high sex drive isn’t necessarily a symptom of a problem. Sex addiction differs from high sex drive because it is an obsession that takes over your life and makes it difficult to function at work or school and may negatively impact your relationships.

If you or someone you love has the following symptoms, you may be dealing with sex addiction:

• Obsessive thinking about sex. People who struggle with sex addiction think about sex almost all the time. They have trouble focusing on other things and may find themselves thinking about sex at inappropriate times. For example, addicts may engage in sexual fantasies during a boring meeting at work and consequently have no idea what happened at the meeting.
• Distorted thinking. Most addicts don’t take responsibility for their addiction. They may blame others for negative behaviors-for example, claiming that they wouldn’t be thinking about sex if their partner was more willing to satisfy them. Many sex addicts are unaware they have a problem and make excuses if you confront them about their behaviors.
• Engaging in illegal or dangerous activities. Sex addicts have a compulsive need to satisfy themselves sexually in ways that may be inappropriate. Indecent exposure, obscene phone calls and molestation may be the result of sex addiction. Addicts may also engage in unsafe sexual practices, such as having sex with multiple partners without using protection.
• Damage to relationships because of sexual activity. If you or a loved one consistently cheats on a partner or puts sex above spending time with children or with friends who aren’t sexual partners, it’s a strong sign you may be struggling with sexual addiction.

Help for Sex Addicts

Sex addiction treatment works best once the addict himself has decided he wants help. This may come after a negative incident like losing a relationship or may occur spontaneously because the addict is tired of hiding his addiction or trying to fight it on his own.

Treatment counselors help addicts stop engaging in negative sexual behaviors by using a combination of therapy and education. Sex addicts must learn the difference between healthy sexual expression and addictive behavior. This can be achieved through sex education. Individual therapy can help the addict determine the cause of his addictive behavior and to make better choices. Often, families of sex addicts, especially the addict’s partner, also need help to deal with the damage the sex addict’s behavior has caused in the relationship and to learn how to interact with the addict in a healthy manner. Sex addicts are often encouraged to attend 12-step programs like Sex Addicts Anonymous to help them recover from their addiction.

Although many addicts attend in-patient rehabilitation programs, which require them to live at the rehab center for a certain period of time, some addicts do better with an outpatient program. Outpatient programs allow sex addicts to continue their normal daily activities while getting treatment for their addiction.

If you’re ready to get help for sex addiction, consider calling 800-660-0986 or filling out a quick contact form. Treatment counselors can help you determine the right type of support for you to help you stop sex addiction. Sex addiction treatment does work, so don’t worry that you won’t be able to get past it. Once you take the first step and ask for help, it’s a matter of figuring out what the best treatment plan is for you and committing to that plan.