Sexual addiction is real and dwells among us like a wolf in sheep’s clothing looking for its next victim to sink its teeth into. Once it has a hold of you, it hijacks your brain having you participate in things you never imagined participating in; or doing things you didn’t know you were capable of doing. Like a virus looking for a host, there is no end game for sex addiction. It simply desires to spread to as many individuals and families as possible, leaving a wake of destruction too wide to accurately measure. It does not discriminate between male or female, young or old, religious or secular. It simply does NOT care!
Sex addiction is a powerful force that gets its strength in darkness. It thrives off secrets, lies, and manipulation. It has infected our closest friends, relatives, co-workers, and even religious leaders; yet, in many cases, we are not even aware of the disease that dwells within. The first step in battling sex addiction is to expose it to the light.
Many of you might be wondering, “Well, how do I know if I am truly a sex addict?” Dr. Patrick Carnes is a sex addiction expert and founder of the International Institute of Trauma and Addiction Professionals. He and his team have come up with a series of six questions you can ask and answer for yourself to help you determine if a sexual addiction might be present. They are as follows:
- Do you find yourself preoccupied with sexual thoughts?
- Do you hide some of your sexual behaviors from others?
- Have you ever sought therapy for sexual behaviors you did not like?
- Has anyone been hurt emotionally because of your sexual behavior?
- Do you feel controlled by your sexual desire?
- When you have sex, do you feel depressed afterwards?
If you answered any one of these questions in the affirmative, it may be worth your time and effort to be further assessed by a sex addictions therapist.
Do not let sex addiction win the battle over you! Your friends and family deserve to have you at your best. Your spouse and children deserve to have you healthy-minded, responsible, and reliable. Your community deserves to have you functioning at full capacity. But even more so, YOU deserve to have a life that is fulfilling, satisfactory, and joy-filled.
Take control over your legacy! Start your recovery today!
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