Good post, but I would add the following. I quote from Psych Central:
“Unlike drug or alcohol treatment, the goal of sexual addiction treatment is not lifelong abstinence, but rather a termination of compulsive, unhealthy sexual behavior. Since it is very difficult for a sex addict to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy sex, programs usually encourage abstinence from any sexual behavior during the first phase of treatment. Many programs suggest a 60- to 90-day period of self-imposed abstinence. This enables you, along with the treatment team, to understand the emotional cues and circumstances that trigger sexual thought and compulsive sexual behavior.”
Thus, your comparison of sexual addiction treatment to that of alcohol doesn’t seem quite accurate as it doesn’t require life-long abstinence–only a period of time to heal the underlying causes fueling the addiction, at which point healthy sexual behaviors can come about.
I apologize if my statement came across as stating that sex addicts need to look towards a life of sexual abstinence. I was specifically speaking of solo masturbation, not sex in general. I recently attended a conference on treating sex addiction and what you state above is correct. Programs specifically geared towards sex addicts are implementing a time of sexual abstinence as part of treatment. In addition they recommend that the sex addict abstain from solo masturbation for good. This has to do with the fact that solo masturbation for these people is usually tied to pornography use, cybersex, anonymous phone sex, and/or abnormal frequency. But of course the ultimate goal of sex addiction treatment is for the sex addict to develop healthy sexual behavior/psychology and to move forward with their significant other in that arena.
People who suffer from addictions usually share similar addictive qualities and/or personalities. Many of the steps towards recovery are similar. However, depending on the type of addiction and the severity shown, there also needs to be personalization to the treatment given or sought.
Thank you for helping me clarify.
The Mormon Therapist
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