Sex Addiction Treatment

Counseling and other treatments will help you overcome your addiction to sex.

According to the study from the NCBI, “Several forms of treatment have been tried, using medication, cognitive-behavioral therapy and psychotherapy sessions alternated with exposure therapy in virtual reality.” CSUN also states, “Sex addiction can be recovered from by learning about the addiction and by attending the 12 step recovery program.”

While sex addiction does not have as many common or thoroughly researched and tested treatment methods as other addictions do, there are many possibilities for one to consider when searching for sex addiction help and treatment. The issue is that sex addiction by its nature means that the individual will often not be able to stop on their own and will struggle with fallout from this disorder possibly even after treatment is finished.

Some of the possible treatments for sex addiction include:

12 step programs

Many individuals experience a wonderful breakthrough in treatment methods that use the 12 step process. Mutual-help groups like Sexaholics Anonymous or Sex Addicts Anonymous help many individuals change the way they feel about their addictions by creating unity in a group of individuals who all struggle with the same issues.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy

Used for a number of drug addiction syndromes, cognitive-behavioral therapy is especially helpful when it comes to sex addiction. According to the NIDA, “A central element of CBT is anticipating likely problems and enhancing patients’ self-control by helping them develop effective coping strategies.”

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

A study from the NCBI states, “Psychodynamic psychotherapy in compulsive sexual behaviors explores the core conflicts that drive dysfunctional sexual expression. Themes of shame, avoidance, anger, and impaired self-esteem and efficacy are common.”

Pharmacotherapy

While “there are no US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for compulsive sexual behaviors,” there is still research being done on the possibility of these treatments helping with sex addiction.

For someone who is addicted to sex, it can be extremely difficult to do or think about anything else. This can cause extreme problems in the individual’s personal and professional lives as well as many health risks. Seeking treatment for sex addiction is often necessary as well as beneficial.