- Adderall
- Alcohol
- Barbiturates
- Chronic Relapse
- Cocaine
- Codependency
- Compulsive Hoarding
- Crack Cocaine
- Crystal Meth
- Dual Diagnosis
- Eating Disorder
- Ecstasy
- Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB)
- Gender Specific Issues
- Heroin
- Hydrocodone
- Inhalants
- Ketamine (Special K)
- Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD)
- Marijuana
- Methadone
- Methamphetamine
- OxyContin
- Phencyclidine (PCP)
- Prescription Drug Abuse
- Process Addiction
- Ritalin and Concerta
- Sex and Love Addiction
- Steroids
- Suboxone
- Synthetic Cannabis
- Trauma
- Valium
- Video Game Addiction
- Xanax
Sex and Love Addiction
Sexual and love addiction has been called many things, among them are compulsive sexual behavior, or sexual impulsivity. Because this addiction is characterized by a preoccupation with sex and love, and a strong desire for sex or to be in love, a sense of shame exists because of the inability to control these impulses. A major goal of recovery treatment is to examine and understand the underlying sources of addictive thoughts and behaviors in order for the patient to rediscover natural loving and sexual expression and to transform their lives.
Mental health professionals have recognized these disorders for many years, and have come to understand the underlying issues, in particular the use of love and sexual activity as a means of avoiding or escaping personal problems, social stresses, and other unpleasant emotions.
One major obstacle to treatment is that abstinence, a key component of most addiction therapies, is not a realistic concept. Unlike the substance abuser who must stop using, or the compulsive hoarder whose goal it is to stop hoarding, expecting sex and love addicts to stop partaking of these natural conditions is equivalent to asking the overeater to stop eating. While in treatment, therapy must employ an approach that emphasizes redirection of these impulses towards expression in healthy ways in order to bring about feelings of well-being and increased self-esteem.
Because the development of healthy relationships is the goal of recovery from a sex or love addiction, programs that utilize approaches similar to the Alcoholics Anonymous Twelve Step program have been highly successful. However, more help may be needed, and for those who need that help, working with a professional mental health therapist specializing in this field is the best option. By employing behavioral and cognitive therapy approaches, these therapists can help addicts understand why they behave as they do, identify the underlying causes of their activities, and frame treatment programs that redirect behavior in healthy ways that lead to an understanding of how to develop healthy and fulfilling relationships.