Sex Addiction is a compulsive and out-of-control relationship with sex and/or the use of pornography. Have you got a relationship with pornography and/or sex that you would like to change but find it difficult to, no matter how hard you try?
Is your relationship with porn and/or sex blocking intimacy? Do you find yourself too easily distracted or obsessing over sex in a way that takes you from fulfilment in the present?
Sex Addiction Therapy
Sex addiction is complex and significantly impacts individuals and their relationships, leading to emotional distress and challenges in intimacy. Sex addiction can lead to feelings of shame, guilt, and a loss of control over one’s behaviours. Individuals may experience intense cravings and urges that can be difficult to manage, causing emotional distress and a sense of powerlessness.
Relationships can be strained as trust may be broken, and partners may feel hurt, betrayed, or inadequate. Moreover, the secrecy and shame associated with sex addiction can create a barrier to open communication and hinder the process of seeking help.
It is crucial to approach the difficulties of sex addiction with compassion and understanding, providing support and encouragement for individuals to seek professional help and embark on a journey of recovery and healing.
Compulsive Sexual Behaviours
- Excessive Pornography Consumption: Spending excessive amounts of time viewing pornography often results in negative consequences such as neglecting responsibilities, isolation, and difficulties in establishing real-life intimate connections.
- Compulsive Masturbation: Engaging in frequent and excessive masturbation, often interfering with daily functioning and relationships.
- Infidelity and Promiscuity: Engaging in multiple sexual relationships, seeking out affairs, or constantly pursuing new sexual encounters despite the negative consequences on personal relationships.
- Cybersex and Online Sexual Activities: Spending significant time engaging in sexual activities through online platforms, including chat rooms, sexting, and virtual relationships.
What are the Effects of Sexual Addiction?
- Emotional Distress: Sexual addiction can lead to intense emotional distress, including guilt, shame, and feelings of powerlessness. These emotions often contribute to a cycle of addictive behaviours as individuals seek temporary relief or escape from their emotional pain.
- Relationship Strain: Sexual addiction can strain relationships, leading to trust issues, communication breakdowns, and diminished intimacy. Partners may feel betrayed, hurt, or neglected, further exacerbating the emotional toll on both individuals involved.
- The decline in Self-Esteem: Individuals with sexual addiction often experience a decline in self-esteem due to their inability to control their behaviours. This can perpetuate a negative cycle, reinforcing addictive patterns and hindering personal growth and well-being.
Addressing Underlying Emotional and Psychological Factors
Counselling for sexual addiction goes beyond symptom management and addresses the underlying emotional and psychological factors that contribute to addictive behaviours. Sexual addiction can profoundly affect individuals’ emotional well-being, relationships, and self-esteem. However, with the help of counselling, individuals can address the underlying emotional and psychological factors contributing to their addictive behaviours.
By regulating emotions and fostering healthier relationships, individuals can overcome sexual addiction and cultivate a more fulfilling and balanced life.
Key Benefits of Psychosexual Therapy for Sexual Addiction:
- Compassionate and Non-Judgmental Support: Our therapists offer a safe and non-judgmental space where you can openly discuss your concerns and experiences related to sexual addiction.
- Tailored Treatment Plans: Each individual’s journey is unique. Our therapists create personalised treatment plans considering your needs, challenges, and goals.
- Addressing Underlying Emotional Factors: We understand that sexual addiction often stems from underlying emotional issues such as trauma, low self-esteem, or relationship difficulties. Our therapists work to identify and address these factors to facilitate healing and growth.
- Developing Healthy Boundaries: Our therapists assist you in setting and maintaining healthy boundaries in relationships, fostering self-respect and enhancing overall well-being.
- Enhancing Emotional Regulation: Counseling helps you develop practical emotional regulation skills to manage difficult emotions and reduce reliance on addictive behaviours.
- Restoring Intimacy and Healthy Relationships: We focus not only on overcoming sexual addiction but also on rebuilding healthy intimate relationships, fostering trust, and improving communication skills.
Sex Addiction and Psychosexual Therapy
Psychosexual therapy plays a crucial role in supporting individuals struggling with sex addiction. It provides individuals with a place to explore and understand the underlying psychological, emotional, and relational factors contributing to their addiction. By addressing these root causes, psychosexual therapy helps individuals gain insight, and challenges distorted beliefs and attitudes about sex and relationships.
It also assists in rebuilding damaged relationships and establishing a solid relapse prevention plan. Furthermore, psychosexual therapy provides much-needed support, validation, and guidance throughout the recovery process, empowering individuals to break free from the cycle of addiction and foster a healthier and more balanced approach to sexuality and intimacy.
Therapeutic Approaches that can be beneficial in addressing sex addiction:
- Individual Therapy: Individual therapy provides a safe and confidential space for individuals to explore the underlying causes and triggers of their sex addiction. It helps individuals gain insight into their thoughts, emotions, and behaviours and develop methods to manage urges and make healthier choices.
- Couples Therapy: Couples therapy can be valuable when sex addiction has strained the intimate relationship. It offers a platform for both partners to express their concerns, rebuild trust, and develop healthy communication. Couples therapy helps foster empathy, understanding, and shared responsibility for the recovery process, supporting the healing and growth of the relationship.
- Group Therapy: Group therapy brings together individuals who struggle with sex addiction, offering a supportive and non-judgmental environment. Sharing experiences, insights, and challenges with others facing similar issues helps individuals feel understood and less isolated. Group therapy provides a sense of community, accountability, and encouragement, aiding in personal growth.
- Family Therapy: Sex addiction can impact the individual and their family members. Family therapy helps address the systemic effects of addiction, enhances communication, and facilitates healing within the family unit. It provides an opportunity for family members to gain understanding, offer support, and learn healthy ways to navigate the challenges associated with sex addiction.
- Psychosexual Therapy: Psychosexual therapy is specifically designed to address issues related to sexual functioning, behaviours, and relationships. It helps individuals with sex addiction explore their sexuality in a safe and non-judgmental environment. Psychosexual therapists utilize various therapeutic methods to address underlying emotional factors, improve intimacy, and promote sexual well-being.
Leone Centre has experience with addiction therapy, specifically trained therapists who work psycho-sexually and can help you re-write your relationship with pornography and/or sex in a way that is right for you. We will support you with the challenges in the present and help you understand where these behaviours have stemmed from – so you can make lasting and sustainable changes you would like, manage the symptoms, and re-engage in fulfilling sexual relationships.
We understand that it’s not always easy to reach out and talk about particularly the first step. We work sensitively and always with utmost confidentiality, whether in couples/relationship therapy or individual therapy. We work to empower you so that you can live a fulfilled life in every aspect – sexual, social, and psychological. We know that these aspects of human life are not independent of one another – at Leone Centre, we work holistically using an integrative model because we know one size does not fit all when managing addictions, health and wellbeing.
Our Addiction Therapists are familiar with working with the 12-step models – let us know your requests in your assessment so we can find the best way to work together.
As with addictive behaviour, we know you can recover – no matter how long you have struggled. We also know that there is not something wrong with you, but you have likely suffered significant stress and/or trauma at some point in your life. We promote recovery through healing these wounds so you can find fulfilment in the present.
