CAN YOU COMPLETELY RECOVER FROM SEX ADDICTION?

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Can You Completely Recover From Sex Addiction?
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CAN YOU COMPLETELY RECOVER FROM SEX ADDICTION?
No one wants to form an addiction. What starts as
a way to cope with adverse feelings becomes a
habit you cant quit. Can you completely recover
from sex addiction? Unfortunately, once you have
an addiction, its part of your life forever. You
must work to manage the symptoms, just like with
any other mental illness. While you cant
completely recover from sex addiction or any
other addiction, you can get and stay
sober. Addiction fundamentally alters neural
pathways in the brain which remain, even when
behaviors cease, said Nate Geyer, a Primary
Therapist at Begin Again Institute. Recovery
offers individuals the ability to build new
neural networks alongside those pathways which
were historically implicated in addiction. Sex
addiction recovery is a healing journey you take
one step at a time. These steps will lead you to
a more ful lling and authentic life.
Issues that Hinder Sex Addiction Recovery
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Can You Completely Recover From Sex Addiction?
A person with sex addiction cant stop sexual
behaviors, even if they want to and regardless of
the consequences. Theyre consumed by their
impulses and out of control of their
behaviors. When a person with sex addiction
attempts to stop those behaviors, they face
triggers that make them want to continue. A
trigger is something in your environment that
drives you to react. You complete an action
because you anticipate a reward. There are things
you respond to in your surroundings that lead
you to seek sexual release. For example, going to
a certain bar or using a particular app. Matt
Wenger, Clinical Director at Begin Again
Institute, said stressors hinder a persons
recovery from sex addiction. He said these
stressors can include High-stress employment
Financial concerns Unaddressed substance
addictions Untreated trauma A lack of boundaries
with unhealthy people Anxiety Depression These
factors are unlikely to just disappear, but you
can eliminate some of them and learn how to
manage others. First, you have to recognize and
admit what they are. One must be willing to
examine the good, the bad, and the ugly within
themselves with compassion and empathy while
realizing the need and desire to change, Matt
said. Until youre ready to accept yourself for
who you are, aws and all, lasting change is
unlikely. Authenticity is critical for leading a
life where youre fully in control of your
impulses. Without a willingness and desire to
change, recovery is unlikely. Other factors that
may hinder sex addiction recovery
are Withholding Information. You may hold back
from your partner, therapist, or even yourself.
This lack of transparency will prevent you from
healing from your addiction. You cant heal what
you dont acknowledge.
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Can You Completely Recover From Sex Addiction?
Lack of Sincerity. You may say youre ready to
put your addiction behind you, but
part of you is holding on. This lack of sincerity
with yourself and others will harm your chances
of recovery. Your View. Do you go from one
relationship to the next, never staying long? You
may be using temporary partners as an outlet for
your sex addiction without realizing it. If this
has been a consistent pattern for you, know that
it isnt a relationship problem. Its a sex
addiction problem. Misperception. You may feel
like you dont have an addiction. Theres no
trauma you can pinpoint that led to your sex
addiction. But these misperceptions prevent you
from full recovery. With proper education and
healing, you can grow and overcome your sex
addiction one healthy decision at a time.
Managing a Sex Addiction
While you cant completely recover from sex
addiction, you can learn how to manage it. By
committing yourself to recovery and prioritizing
it, you can control sex addiction. Full recovery
without professional help is unlikely. Youll
likely need help understanding the root cause of
your addiction, healing from that trauma, then
learning to manage the symptoms of your
addiction. That means youll need to attend some
type of treatment, whether its regular
counseling, a recovery support group, in-patient
treatment, or a combination of efforts. Regardless
of the methods, you dont have to cope with your
addiction alone.
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Can You Completely Recover From Sex Addiction?
Consider what triggering behaviors and
environmental factors may impede your recovery.
Things like changing your route home so you dont
go by the massage parlor or removing provocative
apps from your phone may help. Acknowledging
these areas of concern about your addiction will
only speed up your recovery. Overall, be patient
with yourself. Your addiction didnt form
overnight, and your recovery will require time
and effort. Youre a human being, not a robot who
can rewrite your code. Forgive yourself and see
each decision as an opportunity for
growth. Preventing Relapse With behavioral
addictions, relapse is challenging to avoid.
Quality sex addiction programs will help prepare
you to avoid relapse. Ongoing help is critical
to avoiding relapse, Matt said. The best steps
to take to avoid relapse are to engage in
ongoing trauma therapy, maintain a rigorous
recovery program, engage in authentic and
supportive communities of other recovering
addicts, and live a life of transparency. Nate
agreed that honesty with oneself and others and
ongoing treatment is critical to sobriety. Its
also vital to seek resources and support from the
community. Group work is critical to success
in recovery, he said. I truly believe in this
mantra We do addiction in isolation, but heal
in groups. If youre worried about relapse,
you can implement simple preventative measures,
such as Know your behavior and keep yourself
honest Avoid or reduce triggers in your
life Recognize your emotions, label them, and
accept them
Get Help at Begin Again Institute
You cant completely recover from sex addiction,
but you can learn to control your impulses and
ground yourself in the present moment. Each day
is an opportunity for change, which means today
is one of those days. Contact Begin Again
Institute when youre ready to take steps to
control sex addiction. Were here to help.
Category RecoverySex Addiction
By Begin Again Institute
September 7, 2022
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Can You Completely Recover From Sex Addiction?