The main reason you should follow a 12 step program to treat sex
addiction is because such programs, based on techniques pioneered by
Alcoholics Anonymous, have been known to work. That said, unfortunately
there is little in the way of solid, scientific data showing recovery
rates on people who went through a 12 step program.
Part of the reason for this is because each 12 step group is different. Alcoholics Anonymous published its 12 step program in 1939, and since then the basic template has been refined and adapted to treat other compulsive behaviors including sex addiction, drugs, gambling, etc. They all involve a person admitting they have no control over their behavior and turning their life over to a higher power, thus becoming more introspective.
Each "S" programs is a little different in how they suggest members work their recovery but they all follow the same 12 step model pioneered by Alcoholics Anonymous. Working a program of recovery has been proven to help calm the obsessions and compulsions of active sex addiction. Studies tend not to distinguish between people who went to a few meetings and left and those who stuck with it. There is anecdotal evidence to suggest 12 steps work, or at the very least are better than nothing. Still, a person looking for experts to agree that it works, or even a consensus on how well, is going to be disappointed.
Critics of 12 steps programs cite a 5 percent success rate, while groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous have argued success to be closer to 50 percent, and 25 percent after relapses. The debate has gone on for years, since the early 1940s, with proponents touting success and critics claiming their information is misleading and designed to bolster a treatment industry.
So why should a sex addict bother if even the experts can't agree on whether a 12 step program works or not? According to http://www.hazelden.org, a 1998 study done on 12 step alcoholic programs showed the program does have an effect on people whose social networks supported their drinking habit. This would indicate that the people surrounding the addicts had influence over their behavior.
A 12 step program puts a sex addict in a group that is not going to facilitate their addictive behavior. The addict will also be able to see other people with an addiction and compare their life to the others, perhaps realizing something they did not before. It will put the sex addict in contact with people who have reported recovery so they can see there is hope. It also lets a sex addict learn from others, using their techniques for dealing with urges and addressing problems in their life.
As previous articles explained, one component of the 12 step program is forcing a sex addict to look at their own life and behaviors. Step 4 of the 12 steps involve the addict taking an inventory of their life, behaviors, thoughts and actions and showing it to someone else, someone they trust. This is especially helpful for people who are not normally very introspective or self-conscious. A 12 step program makes a sex addict take a look at themselves from different angles, and once an addict does that they can often find ways to manage their addiction.
It should be noted that a sex addict is going to have to define success for themselves, and that they may carry with them their entire lives some behaviors learned from the 12 step program, namely the self-examination aspects. For the program to work, the addict program needs to stick to it; someone looking to be "cured" quickly is likely to be disappointed.
Part of the reason for this is because each 12 step group is different. Alcoholics Anonymous published its 12 step program in 1939, and since then the basic template has been refined and adapted to treat other compulsive behaviors including sex addiction, drugs, gambling, etc. They all involve a person admitting they have no control over their behavior and turning their life over to a higher power, thus becoming more introspective.
Each "S" programs is a little different in how they suggest members work their recovery but they all follow the same 12 step model pioneered by Alcoholics Anonymous. Working a program of recovery has been proven to help calm the obsessions and compulsions of active sex addiction. Studies tend not to distinguish between people who went to a few meetings and left and those who stuck with it. There is anecdotal evidence to suggest 12 steps work, or at the very least are better than nothing. Still, a person looking for experts to agree that it works, or even a consensus on how well, is going to be disappointed.
Critics of 12 steps programs cite a 5 percent success rate, while groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous have argued success to be closer to 50 percent, and 25 percent after relapses. The debate has gone on for years, since the early 1940s, with proponents touting success and critics claiming their information is misleading and designed to bolster a treatment industry.
So why should a sex addict bother if even the experts can't agree on whether a 12 step program works or not? According to http://www.hazelden.org, a 1998 study done on 12 step alcoholic programs showed the program does have an effect on people whose social networks supported their drinking habit. This would indicate that the people surrounding the addicts had influence over their behavior.
A 12 step program puts a sex addict in a group that is not going to facilitate their addictive behavior. The addict will also be able to see other people with an addiction and compare their life to the others, perhaps realizing something they did not before. It will put the sex addict in contact with people who have reported recovery so they can see there is hope. It also lets a sex addict learn from others, using their techniques for dealing with urges and addressing problems in their life.
As previous articles explained, one component of the 12 step program is forcing a sex addict to look at their own life and behaviors. Step 4 of the 12 steps involve the addict taking an inventory of their life, behaviors, thoughts and actions and showing it to someone else, someone they trust. This is especially helpful for people who are not normally very introspective or self-conscious. A 12 step program makes a sex addict take a look at themselves from different angles, and once an addict does that they can often find ways to manage their addiction.
It should be noted that a sex addict is going to have to define success for themselves, and that they may carry with them their entire lives some behaviors learned from the 12 step program, namely the self-examination aspects. For the program to work, the addict program needs to stick to it; someone looking to be "cured" quickly is likely to be disappointed.
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