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If you or someone you know is addicted to sex, there are a number of different treatment options available to assist you in recovery. The most common types of sex addiction counseling include twelve-step programs, Cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy and support groups. Each of these types of counseling can help to change sexual behaviors that are compulsive or otherwise unnatural providing you with a foundation for healing and recovery.
Twelve-step Therapy for Sex Addiction
Twelve-step programs have been around since the early 1930s when Alcoholics Anonymous first devised the twelve steps to be used in recovery from alcoholism. Since then, many different variations of the twelve step program have evolved to provide a means of recovery and support for various other types of addiction including sex addiction, food addiction and various substance abuse disorders.
12-step groups such as Sex Addicts Anonymous or Sexaholics Anonymous use similar principles as those used in AA to help people who are addicted to sex to pursue abstinence and stop compulsive sexual behaviors. In addition to the help that is provided in these programs, there is great support to be had through peers who are also in recovery from sex addiction which is why many sex addiction counseling programs also include twelve step groups as part of the therapy.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Counseling can help break the chains of sex addiction for good!
This type of counseling looks at the triggers that cause an individual to take part or to desire sexual activity and then focuses on providing them with behavioral tools to change the way that they react. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most widely used methods of sex addiction counseling and therapy used to help sex addicts stop habitual behaviors and get their lives back on track.
The way that CBT works is by helping the addict to stop sexual thought processes by changing these thoughts into those that would not cause them to react in such a way. The counselor will teach the recovering sex addict how to stop such behaviors and to replace their bad habits with health habits such as exercise, hobbies or similar activities.
Interpersonal Therapy for Sex Addiction
Sex addicts often suffer from a great burden of weight on their shoulders as a result of their sexual addiction. Interpersonal therapy can help by providing a safe place for the addict to talk with a counselor about his or her personal situations that maybe at the root of their addiction. This type of sex addiction counseling is ideal for helping the recovering addict to talk their addiction out and it can help the counselor to determine if there may be underlying mental health conditions that also require treatment.
Often times, underlying mental health conditions can lead to habitual or addictive behaviors. By taking part in interpersonal therapy, the recovering addict can find ways to increase self control and awareness of his or her addiction and learn how to better cope with urges to take part in sexual activity.
Support Groups
Support groups such as Sex Addicts Anonymous are the foundation for long term recovery from sex addiction. Although support groups are not necessarily a method of counseling, they are often combined with counseling to provide the patient with peer support as well as trained therapeutic care for a balanced approach to recovery from sex addiction. Many different support groups are offered to help those in recovery from sexual addiction.
You can find support groups both online and in your local community. Some people really appreciate the support that they can get online because they do not have to leave the house and can get support anytime, day or night. The level of support that you receive from a support group is mostly up to your discretion and your level of involvement in the group. You may find that you really like to talk with the other members of the support group and that this method of therapy is very beneficial in your recovery process.