The Door of Hope Counselling Clinic Sexual Addiction Counselling provides professional help for people who suffer from problematic sexually compulsive behaviours. Sexual addiction is best described as a progressive intimacy disorder characterized by compulsive sexual thoughts and acts. Our focus is on helping both the sex addict and his / her partner. Don’t let sexual addiction interfere with your work, social and family life.
We Can Help
Clinical Counsellors at the Door of Hope Counselling Clinic work on the deeper levels to get at the root cause(s) of the addiction so it doesn’t re-surface later.
More Information about Sexual Addiction Counselling
Sex becomes an addiction when the addict can’t stop despite negative consequences. The behaviour is chronic and often times escalating. Addiction involves repeatedly or compulsively engaging in destructive behaviour despite negative consequences. The term “sexual addiction” is used to describe the behaviour of a person who has an unusually intense sex drive or an obsession with sex. Sex and the thought of sex tend to dominate the sex addict’s thinking, making it difficult to work or engage in healthy personal relationships. Sex addicts engage in distorted thinking, often rationalizing and justifying their behaviour and blaming others for problems. They generally deny they have a problem and make excuses for their actions.
Sexual addiction also is associated with risk-taking. A person with a sex addiction engages in various forms of sexual activity, despite the potential for negative and/or dangerous consequences. In addition to damaging the addict’s relationships and interfering with his or her work, social, and family life, a sexual addiction also puts the person at risk for emotional and physical injury. For some people, the sex addiction progresses to involve illegal activities, such as exhibitionism (exposing oneself in public), making obscene phone calls, or molestation. However, it should be noted that sex addicts do not necessarily become sex offenders. If you feel you are struggling with sexual addiction, give us a call. We can help you to live a fulfilling life you were meant to.
The Addictive Cycle
The addiction cycle has four distinct and sequential components:
Preoccupation – The addictive cycle begins at the point where the addicts thoughts and become focused on the behaviour.
Ritualization – Addicts enhance their mental preoccupation with rituals, regularly followed methods of preparing for sexual activity to take place. Anything can become a ritual for the addict.
Sexual Compulsivity – Addicts lose the ability to control their sexual behaviour.
Shame and Despair – The addict’s intense emotional pain is transformed into the pleasure during the preoccupation and ritualization stages, becoming euphoria during the fleeting moments of sexual release. However, following the climax experience, the addict plummets into shame and despair more deeply with each repetition of the cycle. Isolation also increases.
Behaviours Associated with Sexual Addiction Include:
- Anonymous sex
- Compulsive masturbation (self-stimulation)
- Consistent use of pornography
- Exhibitionism
- Exploitive sex
- Fantasy sex
- Intrusive sex
- Multiple affairs (extra-marital affairs)
- Multiple or anonymous sexual partners and/or one-night stands
- Molestation / rape
- Obsessive dating through personal ads
- Pain exchange sex
- Phone or computer sex (cybersex)
- Prostitution or use of prostitutes
- Seductive role sex
- Sexual harassment
- Trading sex
- Unsafe sex
- Voyeurism (watching others) and / or stalking
General Effects of Sexual Addiction
Generally, a person with a sex addiction gains little satisfaction from the sexual activity and forms no emotional bond with his or her sex partner(s). In addition, the problem of sex addiction often leads to feelings of guilt and shame. A sex addict also feels a lack of control over the behaviour, despite negative consequences such as financial, health, social, and emotional.
Treatment for Sexual Addiction
Most sex addicts live in denial of their addiction, so treating an addiction is dependent on the person accepting and admitting that he or she has a problem. Sexual addiction counselling focuses on controlling the addictive behaviour and helping the person develop a healthy sexuality. Treatment includes education about healthy sexuality, individual counselling, and marital and / or family therapy. Counselling for the partner of the sexual addict is also highly recommended and encouraged.
Here to Help
Get help. There is hope for you. Call or email the Door of Hope Counselling Clinic in Port Coquitlam today at (604) 790-9032 or complete and send the Contact Form below. We’re here to help you start your journey of healing.
