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Sex Addiction is a trendy buzzword in the celebrity news pages as of late, thanks to such high profile names such as Tiger Woods and Jesse James, just to name a couple. Is sex addiction a real problem or is this label a cop-out for bad boy behavior? Theories abound on both sides of the coin when it comes to this one. While sex addiction may not be classified and defined in the medical books, and maybe it should not be specifically so, there is no denying that there is obviously a fixation out there.
For a person to admit to a problem with sex addiction, it typically takes a traumatic situation that wreaks havoc on their lives and the lives of those they love. An event such as an arrest, a job loss, a health crisis or the ending of a marriage is significant enough to bring the sex addiction problem to the forefront where it must be acknowledged and addressed. Once the problem surfaces and the person decides to seek treatment, what’s next? What is the process of treatment for such an issue? How does one deal with an addiction to something they obviously cannot avoid for the rest of their lives?
Treatment for sex addiction differs from the treatment plans for other addictions in that lifelong abstinence is not the goal. The treatment plan is approached through a variety of options, depending on where treatment is sought. Some therapy centers offer treatment through a 12 Step Recovery Program while others use a Cognitive-Behavior Therapy model. Both programs use one-on-one therapy sessions as well as group therapy sessions to assist the person in seeing the problem behavior in a different light. The focus and ultimate goal in treatment of sex addiction is to control the problematic behavior and assist the person in learning about healthy sexual behavior. All sex addicts do not go on to become sex offenders, many rehabilitate and go on to live full lives with satisfying relationships.
