All about Sex Addiction. What is Sex Addiction? Old and new methods of recovery, pros and cons of 12 step groups, co dependency, co addiction. What it is
Forgiving your Sex Addict spouse or partner does not mean that they are no longer responsible for their actions, nor does forgiveness mean that you accept their behavior. Forgiveness is not the same as a 'pardon', which means to release from punishment. Forgiveness means you let go of the anger and resentment that drains your soul of any sense of peace
New York, Feb 11 : The proposed changes in the American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic manual surprisingly do not include sex addiction, obesity and Internet addiction. But binge eating and gambling have been given a place.
I just came across a fairly accurate description of what happens in an inpatient Sex Addiction rehab facility, and rather than trying to rephrase and rewrite it in my own words,
Do wives and partners of Sex Addicts experience trauma severe enough to cause Trauma Bonds?
Whether it's prostitutes, porn or a mistress or two on the side, sex costs money.
I bet you've never read a news story about a celebrity confessing to their infidelities out of the blue.
It is official, Tiger Woods has entered rehab for his so called Sex Addiction. Does this sound like someone who is humbled by recognition of his disease and is ready to give his all to recovery?
I bet most people would think that having sex with a Sex Addict must be one step short of Paradise. I mean, after all, they are the experts--right?
Our path to recovery starts with discovery. The ways that each of us find out about our spouse’s Sexual Addiction are as varied as the types of addiction. Some of us are jolted into painful reality with a phone call from the local jail, the other woman or man, or just by having to face the overwhelming evidence that we have been trying to ignore. Rarely, our spouse may have become so distressed with their way of life that they will shock us with a confession.
But, however it happens, the initial discovery is only the beginning. It took over four years for my husband to reveal the full spectrum of his addictive activities. This partial disclosure is quite common among Sex Addicts. Often those who are confronted will vehemently deny any wrongdoing and only fess up to what absolutely cannot be denied. This kind of behavior can make you crazy. Not only is the frustration enough to make you want to scream, but over time a more insidious pattern emerges where we begin to doubt ourselves. (more…)
I’ve seen it happen so many times. A Sex Addiction is discovered. There are tears and screams, anger, pain, threats and lots of smoke and mirrors. After the dust settles you have conversations–lots of them, some good, most of them bad, but it helps clear the air.
Then you are both spent, emotionally drained. That’s when it happens. And it happens early, usually within the first few weeks or maybe even a few months of the time of the discovery. Both of you start to talk about the future, and there is hope. Your spouse or partner glows with new insights and understanding of their addiction. Apologies, flowers, poems and letters of undying love flow like quicksilver and date nights filled with passion bring a sense of renewed commitment. You let your guard down and start to hope again.
I like to compare this to the eye of a hurricane. (more…)
Whether you have just discovered your spouse or partner's clandestine sexual behaviors, or you are painfully discovering new or repeated evidence, you will need to make a decision about how to confront them.
As we know, there is no ‘magic pill’ for Sex Addiction, but there may be some hope for the large percentage of addicts who suffer from depression.
I remember my life before my husband started taking antidepressants. It was pure HELL! Not only was he acting out (which I didn’t know) but he was the classic Mr. Doom and Gloom. Nothing was ever right. If it was raining it was ‘crappy outside’. If the sun was out it was ‘too damn hot’, if it was Tuesday…well, you get the picture. He was just miserable to live with and he made everyone around him miserable too.
He refused to discuss depression with his doctor claiming that he was not depressed, he was just feeling down about his life circumstances–an ex wife from hell, an estranged relationship with his daughters, superiors at work who didn’t like him–oh he always had an excuse. (more…)