Are you someone who suffers from engaging in what is commonly called sex addiction? Do you spend hours a day engaged in sexual activity you have no idea how to stop (although you feel like you’ve tried everything)? Do you feel helpless or powerless to do what you know is in your best interest and function like ‘normal’ people? If so, you may have wondered what it might be like to be magically cured of this ‘addiction,’ or what is also known as out-of-control sexual behavior.
The Cure is Really a Process
Almost everyone who has struggled with this problem and succeeded in gaining some measure of relief from it will tell you there is no ‘cure,’ as such for it. It’s not a matter of finding a ‘silver bullet’ or ‘magic pill’ that can eliminate it, although most people will tell you they have sought out something like that at one time or another. What others have done instead is to get help from qualified professionals, and followed their advice in the way of making life changes that have helped to address the underlying reasons for the addiction or out of control sexual behavior. These changes, which almost always include coming out of isolation to one degree or another and finding a community of other individuals to give and receive mutual support with, are keys to alleviating the problem.
Problem Sexual Behavior Is Very Prevalent These Days
It is a sign of our times that there are so many people who become enslaved to patterns of sexual behavior that are counterproductive and often self-destructive. We may have been taught from a young age that we can have anything we want (or nothing that we want), and spend the rest of our lives trying to get everything we can or that we were denied growing up. Sexuality is one of the prime arenas where this shows up because it is such an integral part of human existence, but is also one that is fraught with so much misunderstanding and volatility (particularly in US culture). There are millions of others in this country alone that suffer with this issue, but that need not be the case once treatment is sought out.
Sexual Health Is ‘The Cure’
So if I waved a wand and you instantly had sexual health, you still might at some time or another struggle with the ‘old addiction.’ The ways our brains are wired can make some things very ingrained, so even with the best treatments people can sometimes get pulled back into addictive forms of behavior. The path to sexual health is one of education, as well as sorting out all that one experiences that isn’t sexual health. It is also different for different people. This is where I can come in to help you sort out the parts of your sexual behavior and life that haven’t been working. This involves delving into the past as well as looking at present circumstances in your life. There’s no need to worry, though. Although the past may have had a part in contributing to your feeling like you’re addicted to sex, it isn’t something that needs to hold you back due to anything you’re afraid of confronting. You always have support in dealing with it. The education piece happens in therapy with your therapist and possibly a supportive group of fellow sufferers who are trying to get better, too.
What Sets Me Apart in Helping You
I am someone who has had special training in this area, as well as wrestled with similar issues in my own life. My expertise is based on what I’ve learned myself from both sides of the therapist’s chair, so I have a good idea of what helps and what doesn’t. I also give my clients the final say in what sexual health looks like for them and help support them in whatever choices they make, even if I think I know better. I know from my experiences and from the experiences of friends who have dealt with this issue for decades that life does get better, sexual health is something totally attainable, and you are worthy of having relief from the forces of addiction in your life. I encourage you to call me at 512-648-3053 or email me at scott@scottkampschaeferlcsw.com if you want help and are willing to make the effort to get it.
About the author: Scott Kampschaefer, LCSW is a private practice therapist in Frederick, Maryland. He has an extensive background in working with depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder at a clinic for older adults with these disorders in Austin. He now works with adults and adolescents of all ages in private practice.
Click here to learn more about how Scott can help you with sex addiction.