If you have reached the conclusion your partner is struggling
with sex addiction, you likely have tried to talk to him or her with
little success. Your efforts to help the situation have probably been in
vain. At this point, it may feel like there isn't much you can do, but
that is far from the truth. Here are some things you can do to help your
situation and get your message heard.
If you have tried talking to your partner but don't feel like you made any progress, it might help to have a conversation with a third party present, like a pastor or a therapist. It's especially helpful if this third party is knowledgeable about sex addiction, as it will help to move your conversation in the right direction in an intelligent and understanding way. If you can't find any community members trained in sex addiction but you still want to talk to a third party, try to find someone you are comfortable sharing this problem with.
Sex addiction has been seen as a 'fake' addiction in the past, but it's slowly gaining acceptance as a real concern. Because of this recent recognition, help for sex addiction is becoming easier to find. The Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health maintains a list of its professional members on its website. If you are unable to find a professional in your area, next best step is to see any therapist who deals with addiction.
The experience of having an addicted partner is pretty traumatic. When your partner has been unfaithful, it can cause post-traumatic stress. Events will feel like they happened "just yesterday" when they may have been months ago. You also run the risk of having past traumatic experiences come back to haunt you as a result of your current stress and trauma. Your ability to heal from this experience and regain trust in your partner may be dependent on you getting some help. Search for meetings in your area aimed towards people whose partners struggle with sex addiction. If there are no such meetings, it is likely that your town holds AlAnon meetings. AlAnon was originally intended for the partners of alcoholics, but partners of all kinds of addicts attend these meetings and help support each other. AlAnon is very appropriate in this situation.
If your partner wants to move past his addiction, he will need help as well. Twelve-Step programs are effective for treating sex addiction, and seeking therapy with a professional is also helpful.
Couples therapy may help repair your relationship. It will make it easier to talk, listen, and be heard. However, couples therapy alone will not solve your partner's sex addiction; he really does need to get help on his own.
If you have tried talking to your partner but don't feel like you made any progress, it might help to have a conversation with a third party present, like a pastor or a therapist. It's especially helpful if this third party is knowledgeable about sex addiction, as it will help to move your conversation in the right direction in an intelligent and understanding way. If you can't find any community members trained in sex addiction but you still want to talk to a third party, try to find someone you are comfortable sharing this problem with.
Sex addiction has been seen as a 'fake' addiction in the past, but it's slowly gaining acceptance as a real concern. Because of this recent recognition, help for sex addiction is becoming easier to find. The Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health maintains a list of its professional members on its website. If you are unable to find a professional in your area, next best step is to see any therapist who deals with addiction.
The experience of having an addicted partner is pretty traumatic. When your partner has been unfaithful, it can cause post-traumatic stress. Events will feel like they happened "just yesterday" when they may have been months ago. You also run the risk of having past traumatic experiences come back to haunt you as a result of your current stress and trauma. Your ability to heal from this experience and regain trust in your partner may be dependent on you getting some help. Search for meetings in your area aimed towards people whose partners struggle with sex addiction. If there are no such meetings, it is likely that your town holds AlAnon meetings. AlAnon was originally intended for the partners of alcoholics, but partners of all kinds of addicts attend these meetings and help support each other. AlAnon is very appropriate in this situation.
If your partner wants to move past his addiction, he will need help as well. Twelve-Step programs are effective for treating sex addiction, and seeking therapy with a professional is also helpful.
Couples therapy may help repair your relationship. It will make it easier to talk, listen, and be heard. However, couples therapy alone will not solve your partner's sex addiction; he really does need to get help on his own.
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