How Do I Know If I have a Sexual Addiction?
How Do I Know If I have a Sexual Addiction?
You may be worried that you or a loved one may have a sexual addiction. You can rest assured that we at the Center for Integrative Change can assess for this very serious illness and we can treat this disease with a good prognosis following Dr Patrick Carnes approach in Facing the Shadow Starting Sexual and Relationship Recovery.
For this process, I begin by assessing for the presence of addiction using the addictive system and administering the SAST (Sexual Addiction Screening Test) instrument.
The addictive system includes your belief system, your impaired thinking, your addiction cycle, and your unmanageability. I will explore with you the ideas you hold to be true about yourself in relation to your sexual needs. I help you explore if there are any distorted realities or things that are blocking your awareness that are creating any impaired thinking. I help you gain awareness of your addictive cycle and help you explore if there are patterns of preoccupation, ritualization, sexual compulsivity and of despair that occurs when consequences of addictive behavior become unmanageable.
Next, I will provide you the SAST assessment and assess if addiction is present using following criteria (When 3 are met, addiction is present):
A pattern of failure to resist impulses to engage in sexual behavior
Increasing engagement of those behaviors longer then intended
Unsuccessful attempts to stop, reduce, or control those behaviors
Much time spent in obtaining, behaving, or recovering from those behaviors
Preoccupation or ritualization with the behavior
Engaging in behavior over expected occupational, academic, domestic, or social obligations
Continuation of the behavior despite negate consequences grom the behavior
Need to increase the intensity, frequency, number or risk of behaviors to achieve the desired effect or diminished effect with continued behaviors at the same level of intensity, frequency, number, or risk
Giving up or limiting required activities because of this behavior
Distress, anxiety, restlessness, or irritability if unable to engage in the behavior
If this resonates with you, know that here is hope and you can recover by taking the first step to explore how I can support your through a free 15-minute consultation.
References: Facing the Shadow Starting Sexual and Relationship Recovery by Patrick Carnes, Ph.D., 2nd Edition, 2010.
Meet KC
About The Author
KC is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist at the Center for Integrative Change. She trained in EMDR, ACT, DBT, CBT, MI, Solution Focused Therapy, Mindfulness, Narrative Therapy, and is in training in sex therapy and IFS. She loves working with couples, children, teens, individuals and groups who want to experience the life that they envision for themselves. KC feels rewarded and fulfilled when she facilitates change towards hope, healing, peace, and wholeness in her client’s lives. In her down time, KC enjoys spending time with her family (husband, adult children, grandchildren), gardening, swimming, and traveling.
