SEX ADDICTION RECOVERY

Sex Addiction Therapy

Can I really heal?

The answer is YES! At Bluffview Counseling we specialize in all problematic sexual behaviors including sex addiction. It is possible to heal from sex addiction or betrayal, mend relationships on the brink of disaster, heal families torn, and find your inner peace and wisdom. Our Dallas Sex Addiction Experts have developed treatment services that will help you put your life back together one step at a time. Each of our therapist have been trained as a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT) and trained to help partners and families traumatized by betrayal and lies.

The outcome of our treatment is a restored sense of dignity and hope for a future, free of compulsive sexual behaviors. We know what it is like to stand in overwhelming fear of what will happen next. Step by step we can help you mend your life! Find out more about Bluffview Counseling or schedule an appointment today!

Sex Addiction FAQs

Can I really heal?
How can I understand sex addiction?
What causes sex addiction?
How is sex addiction treated?
What's my next step?

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We understand the guilt, shame, and pain that you may be feeling. We know that you had no intention of hurting yourself or others by your behaviors. We also see the hope for you and your loved ones to recover from this addiction and find a self that you and others can be proud of.

Sex addiction is not defined by a particular behavior or even by frequency of behavior; rather, it is characterized as a pattern of sexual thoughts or behaviors that are destructive and that the person feels he or she is unable to stop and which, over time, results in a decline in intimacy with others.

How can I begin to understand sex addiction?

One of the questions that we are asked the most is "how do I know if I’m a sex addict?" The best way to determine if you are a sex addict is by being honest with yourself about the negative consequences that your behaviors have or potentially have on yourself and those around you. This may include loss or potential loss of relationships, jobs, families, and time, as well as sexually transmitted diseases, anxiety, shame, depression, productivity decline, and an overall lack of peace and well being in your life. You can also take the Sexual Addiction Screening Test (SAST) to help determine if this is an issue for you. Click here.

Many times our minds try to rationalize our behaviors with statements like: I am not hurting anyone else, no one has to know about this, I deserved to do this, etc. Our experience is that eventually the negative consequences of our behaviors began to surface, many times with devastating effects i.e.: caught surfing porn at work or home, getting arrested for sexual behavior, or an affair being discovered.

Sex addiction is a destructive and difficult problem. It ruins relationships, loses jobs, causes arrests, and destroys self esteem and physical health. Millions of people are affected by this addiction. It is not primarily a moral problem; it is a problem of out of control feelings and behaviors. However, where there is a desire to recover there is hope.

For some, the addictive behavior does not progress beyond compulsive masturbation or an extensive use of pornography, phone, or computer sex services. For others, their addiction can involve illegal activities such as prostitution, exhibitionism, voyeurism, or obscene phone calls.

Addictive sexual behaviors may include:
Compulsive masturbation
Multiple affairs
Compulsive use of pornography
Unsafe sex
Sexual anorexia
Multiple or anonymous partners
Phone or internet sex
Sexual massage, escorts, prostitutes
Prostitution of self

What are the causes and effects of sex addiction?

Even though those who suffer with sexual addiction are typically very aware of the negative consequences of their behaviors, they’re usually unable to successfully control their compulsion without appropriate professional treatment.

Negative consequences affect all areas of life including:
Social
Meaningful relationships
Emotional
Legal
Physical
Financial

Compulsive sexual thoughts and/or behaviors can lead to increasingly serious consequences in both the individuals’ internal and external world. The consequences may include severe depression, low self esteem, shame, self-hatred, hopelessness, despair, intense anxiety, loneliness, moral conflict, contradictions between ethical values and behaviors, fear if abandonment, spiritual bankruptcy, distorted thinking, remorse, and self deceit.

70 to 75% of sex addicts have thought about suicide. Many suffer from broken relationships and more than 40% experience severe marital and other relationship problems. Sexual activities outside the primary relationship result in loss of self esteem to both partners as well as severe stress to the relationship.

The sex addict is frequently absent from their home life (physically and/or emotionally) and if they have children this usually results in a significant loss of necessary parental role modeling. Pressure is then placed on the partner to provide the majority of parental support and nurturing of the children. In response to added pressures, partners of sex addicts may develop their own addictions and compulsions, psychosomatic problems, or depression and other emotional difficulties. The cumulative effects of all of these factors can result in an unstable family environment. Physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and neglect of the children may occur. Growing up in such a home increases the risk for the next generation to also have addictive disorders.

Serious health consequences of sex addiction may include a HIV infection, genital herpes, syphilis, gonorrhea, and other sexually transmitted diseases. Sex addicts have an increased risk of STD’s. Genital injury may result from excessive sexual activity or the use of sex aids and foreign objects. Addictive sadomasochistic sex can lead to physical damage to the body.

Some sex addicts go to jail, lose their jobs, get sued, and of other financial and legal consequences because of their compulsive sexual behavior. Financial difficulties from the purchase of pornographic materials, use of prostitutes, telephone and computer sex, travel for the purpose is sexual contacts, another sexual activities can tax the addicts financial resources, sometimes to the point of bankruptcy, as can the expense of legal representation. 60% of addicts have faced financial difficulties, 58% engaged in illegal activities, an 83% of sex addicts also had concurrent addiction such as alcoholism, eating disorders, in compulsive gambling.

Legal consequences of sexual addiction result when illegal behaviors such as voyeurism, exhibitionism, or inappropriate touching, result in arrests in incarceration. Arrest in the workplace can be part of the sex addicts repertoire, and may result in legal difficulties on the job. Over half the cases of sexual exploitation by professionals are perpetrated by sex addicts.

Sexual addiction is primarily not a moral problem; it is a problem of out of control feelings and behaviors.

Sexual addiction is primarily not a moral problem; it is a problem of out of control feelings and behaviors.

If you want freedom, better relationships, and to know what it really means to be a healthy human, Bluffview Counseling will give you practical help in breaking free from unwanted habitual sexual behaviors.

After working with Bluffview Counseling for 30 days, people often report a sense of well being, relief from lying, leading double lives, a restored sense of dignity, and hope for a future free of sexually compulsive behaviors.

How is sex addiction treated?

Our style is interactive, empathetic, and nonjudgmental but with clear direct tasks for healing. We will first work on changing and ceasing any unhealthy behaviors and then aid in understanding and healing the deeper underlying issues. This approach allows for a deepening of trust and intimacy. We work with all sexual orientations, lifestyles, and cultures.

Treatment includes individual work that helps you focus on stopping the painful and troublesome behaviors. We will work with you to examine a full history of your addiction. This includes: how all of these behaviors started, what brings these behaviors on, issues in your life that may be increasing stress and triggering your sexual acting out, family of origin issues, past trauma, and current health concerns. We will work together to clearly define a treatment plan. As part of the task oriented approach, we will create the sexual sobriety plan which leads many to experience sexual abstinence for the first times in their lives. By the end of 30 days on this plan, people often report a sense of well being, relief from lying, leading double lives, a restored sense of dignity, and hope for a future free of sexually compulsive behaviors. Group therapy is recommended in addition to individual work.

Group therapy is acknowledged as the most effective form of treatment for sex addicts. Group focuses on shame reduction, maintaining sobriety through high levels of accountability, the value of honesty, being congruent in an all areas of life, and expressing feelings. In addition, addicts become lonely, withdrawn, and isolated. Group therapy aids in creating safe healthy bonds with others who share similar issues.

If you want freedom, better relationships, and to know what it really means to be a healthy human, we will give you practical help in breaking free from unwanted habitual sexual behaviors.

What's my next step?

It can be difficult to take the next step, and to seek action, but that might be the most important step of your life. You can schedule an appointment online, or call or email us with any questions you may have at (214) 390-5800 or email us at Info@BluffviewCounseling.com.

If we are unable to answer, you can leave a secure and confidential voice mail and someone from our office will follow up with you as soon as possible.