Often, those who struggle with sexual addiction try to justify or rationalize their behaviors. This usually leads to denial, which is why most sex addiction treatment programs are designed to break through this and provide hope for recovery.
Sex addiction can be challenging for those around the person as it can completely take over their life. Fortunately, there are many treatment options for sex addiction. Many sex addiction treatment programs are inpatient and allow the addict to stay away from temptation for 30 days or more so they can focus on their healing. Several programs follow the 12 Step recovery model used for alcoholism and offer group meetings that can be very helpful in building a support system.
CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy): This type of therapy addresses the mental aspect of most addictions. It helps patients change negative thoughts and behaviors into more positive ones through self-talk and affirmations. This is a very effective tool for sex addiction recovery.
Trauma Therapies: These can include somatic experiencing, post induction therapy, and EMDR to help people process past traumatic events that may have led to their sex addiction. These therapies are often used in combination with individual and narrative therapy.
Couples / Marriage Counseling: Sometimes, sex addiction is a result of issues in a romantic relationship. These therapeutic sessions between a therapist and the couple work to understand what has caused issues in the relationship and address them.