Sexaholics Anonymous
From Drug Rehab Wiki
A sexual addiction can be debilitating for an individual as it can control much of their life. Operating much like an addiction to drugs or alcohol, a sexual addiction can cause difficulty for the individual wanting to engage in a normal lifestyle and healthy personal relationships.
As this condition can cause the individual to experience an unusually intense sex drive or an obsession with sex, the topic and thoughts surrounding sex will dominate the addict’s thinking. To try and overcome this propensity to focus on sex at all times, the sex addict will seek out help and will often find what they need in a group known as Sexaholics Anonymous.
This unincorporated association is made up of individuals and groups that offer a 12 step recovery program for those who wish to overcome an addiction to lust, sex, dependency relationships and other forms of sexual thinking and behavior that tends to be self-destructive. Sexaholics Anonymous was established in 1981 in the United States and achieves its differentiation from other sex-related groups as it has a definition of sobriety.
A person involved in Sexaholics Anonymous is considered to be sober if they have refrained from sex with anyone other than a spouse on that particular day. In joining this organization, the individual seeks to stop the behavior and then progressively gain victory over lust. Individuals joining Sexaholics Anonymous come from all walks of life and deal with a wide range of compulsive behaviors.
The point of such a group is to provide an environment where sexual addicts can seek non-judgmental support and encouragement as they work to overcome a debilitating addiction. Sex addicts seeking help in this environment want to get and stay sexually sober by stopping specific behavior or behaviors. As sex addicts tend to engage in distorted thinking, it is not uncommon for them to rationalize and justify their behavior or blame others for their actions.
Sexual addiction is closely associated with risk-taking, which pushes the sex addict to engage in various forms of sexual activity despite potential negative or dangerous consequences. As a result, the individual can often put him or herself in a position at risk for emotional, physical or even legal injury.
While a sex addict can experience an overwhelming desire to commit activities that could even be considered illegal (such as exhibitionism or molestation), it is important to note that all sex addicts do not necessarily become sex offenders.
Sexaholics Anonymous helps in recovery through a 12 step process adapted from the original Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. Such steps start with admitting there is a problem and then seeking help, self-appraisal, confidential self-disclosure and then making amends. Full recovery is completely dependent upon the sex addicts desire to overcome their addiction.
