Treatment for Sex Addiction
Sex addiction is a serious and harmful condition resulting in significant suffering for the addict and the addict’s family. What separates non-harmful behaviors from addictive behaviors is that the addictive behaviors will cause great harm such as depression, anxiety, loss of relationships and/or financial security, to name a few.
Whether the condition is called an addiction or something else, such as “out-of-control,” “compulsive,” or “dependent,” it is a behavior that seriously and increasingly interferes with your ability to participate in important parts of your life. Many sufferers try to control addiction on their own. It rarely works. Meanwhile, addictive behaviors increase, eating away at the foundations of your life, happiness, and functioning.
The condition is treatable: addicts and their families do find recovery. There is not a “typical” sex addict, and sex addiction can take many forms, such as:
- repeated use of pornography
- virtual sex through on-line chat rooms, instant messaging, etc.
- paying for sex through escort services and other forms of prostitution
- sex with anonymous partners
- affairs
- compulsive masturbation
- serial monogamy – a history of short-lived, romantic, sexual relationships
We offer active treatment focused on abstinence from destructive behavior. Our therapists are licensed mental health addiction counselors who work closely together as a team utilizing the New York Pathways model of care. Our staff consist of highly trained, caring mental health professionals who have a deep, personal commitment to healing and recovery. Each therapist brings a highly personal, compassionate, and responsive attitude in his or her work with you. In the beginning, individual therapy is goal-directed, with a focus on attitude change and skill development to reduce emotional stress and stop the destructive behaviors. Group therapy is topic-focused, where you learn about your behaviors, share insights, and gain emotional support from your peers.
As a New York Pathways client, we want you to get the most out of your treatment. Therefore, we will expect you to be actively involved in your treatment. We will work with you to develop a treatment plan specifically geared toward your needs. You should expect to have one-on-one weekly therapy sessions with your therapist and attend weekly group therapy as part of your treatment plan.