Sexual Addiction/Compulsion Counseling
Are you struggling with sexually compulsive behavior? Has this compulsion begun to dominate your life? This powerlessness is a part of the addiction. Sex addiction is “A pathological relationship with a mood-altering experience.” Statistics show that at minimum 17 million people suffer from sex addiction. Compulsive sexual behavior can have significant effects on both your physical and mental health. Sexual addiction/sexual compulsivity is a compulsive behavior that completely dominates the addict’s life. Sex becomes more important than family, friends, and work. Sex addicts are willing to sacrifice what they love the most to continue their unhealthy behavior. Just like other addictions, there is a repetitive struggle to control behavior, but continuously failing and overwhelmed with guilt and despair.
It is common to feel anxious about seeking therapy. Or you may be unsure if you really need professional help for this issue. Some may feel shame about the struggle. Know that you are not alone. And, this behavior is more about the numbing out relief it gives. Therapy can help you get into recovery and discover the roots of this issue. Addictive behavior has a genetic component to it – while you may have had family members with chemical addiction, for you the addictive behavior may have come out in sexual compulsivity. Additionally, if your struggle is with pornography, know that the porn industry works very hard to get people addiicted – their target age is 8 years old!
The dynamics of addictions are complex; so much so that mental health professionals must take an entirely different approach to even begin the process of understanding addiction and recovery. At Bareiter Counseling Center we have highly trained clinicians who have been trained by Patrick Carnes the founder of the certified sex addiction therapist program. He developed the program after years of extensive experience and research in the field of addiction. We are blessed to have one of our clinicians certified as a sex addiction therapist and others who are highly trained in the field of addiction.
If you are questioning whether you might struggle with sex addiction/compulsivity you can take this short questionnaire-PATHOS. It is a brief sexual addiction screening questionnaire developed by Dr. Patrick Carnes.
- Do you often find yourself preoccupied with sexual thoughts? (Preoccupied)
- Do you hide some of your sexual behavior from others? (Ashamed)
- Have you ever sought help for sexual behavior you did not like? (Treatment)
- Has anyone been hurt emotionally because of your sexual behavior? (Hurt others)
- Do you feel controlled by your sexual desire? (Out of control)
- When you have sex, do you feel depressed afterwards? (Sad)
If you answer “Yes” to 3 or more of these questions, it is recommended you speak with a trained therapist to explore your responses.
We help both men and women by creating a safe space for healing. We guide and encourage our clients to move from a place of shame and isolation into connections with self and others. Bareiter Counseling Center specializes in depth-oriented therapy. We use various models of therapy that help you get to the root of your struggle. We help you explore dynamics that fuel sexual issues, such as family of origin, shame, grief, loss, denial, trauma, and destructive behavior patterns. You will examine the consequences of acting out and techniques to help you stop sexually acting out. We will help you understand how acting out through sexual behaviors relates to your trauma history. You will also learn about the addictive cycle, codependency, boundaries, and recovery goals. Schedule an appointment by scheduling online or calling the office. We would be honored to walk with you through this journey.
