Education

Task 2b: Understanding Sexual Addiction

An excerpt from Chapter 3 of Facing the Shadow:

The problem is that sex is not talked about much so most people are unaware of the diversity and intensity of human sexual behavior. This is our culture's big secret and it has several effects:

  • People feel great shame about what they do because they do not know how common their behavior is; they think they are abnormal.
  • There has been a societal delay in understanding what constitutes healthy or unhealthy sexual behavior.
  • Most important, it has been difficult to understand those whose sexual compulsion is the core of an addictive process.

By far the biggest issue we must address is that sex addicts will blend unconventional and "normal" behaviors in a pattern. Addicts need to understand their patterns. First, they need to look at which sexual behaviors for them have a pattern of causing problems. Second, they must notice when there has been a loss of control, such as failed efforts to stop, or continuation despite consequences.

Most addicts notice that they have more than one pattern. Do you know what your patterns or triggers are? The exercises in Chapter 3 of Facing the Shadow can help you to map out your patterns of addictive behavior. Recognition of our pattern behaviors can help us understand our own arousal templates, both healthy and unhealthy. Once you identify the nature of your addictive illness and behavior patterns, then you may be ready to surrender to the process of recovery.


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    Certified Treatment Partners

    Category: Residential Treatment

    Pine Grove's Gentle Path is a program for those suffering from sexual addiction, relationship addiction, and sexual anorexia. It is under the direction of Patrick Carnes, Ph.D., world-renowned speaker and author on addiction. Dr. Carnes' 30-task-model serves as the basic curriculum for treatment. The staff on-hand is multi-disciplinary and includes psychiatrists and addictionologists. The Gentle Path program consists of two components: a comprehensive diagnostic assessment (one-to-two days) and a residential treatment program.

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    Category: Outpatient Treatment

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    Category: Outpatient Treatment

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    Category: Residential Treatment

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    Category: Outpatient Treatment

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    • Understanding personal responsibility, choice and accountability
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    Category: Residential Treatment

    Santé Center for Healing offers hope and treatment to those suffering from alcohol addiction, drug addiction and other behavioral health issues. Patients at Santé receive a spectrum of therapeutic addiction treatment addressing the whole person; mind, body and emotions.

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    Santé is located on a serene hillside, in North Texas, just outside the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. The 14 acre property offers a tranquil environment for individuals suffering from the disease of addiction. Santé is a place where one can turn their life around. A place to learn how to live life on life's terms. A place to examine one's life, stop unproductive behavior patterns and cultivate inner resources.

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    Category: Education

    Hope & Freedom U (www.hopeandfreedomu.com) is an educational website that provides sex addiction recovery resources. Their first course, I Can STOP is a 30 day streaming video course that parallels the workbook Thirty Days to Hope & Freedom From Sexual Addiction, by Gentle Path Press. This course is a good way of getting started in recovery and also a way to supplement the ongoing work a client does with a CSAT therapist.