Sex Addiction
Hi! My name is Stacy. My new counselor told me on our second session that I needed to see a sex addiction counselor. I don't have insurance or money to do this. I have reached out to SAA and waiting for a call back. I knew I was addicted, but that just floored me when she said it. She said that she didn't have the knowledgeto help me, I am glad for the honesty. What are some other sites, books, etc that you have used that may help me. Money is an issue. I also have other mental health issues that makes it hard to get out of the house, etc. Please help.
@stacy46
Maybe if money is an issue, you could try getting a workbook for addictions to use on your own, that includes sex addictions. This one is highly recommend: "Sex, Drugs, Gambling, and Chocolate: A Workbook for Overcoming Addictions" by Dr. A. Thomas Horvath
You can find it on amazon. It's not too expensive, and if you buy a used one than it would be even cheaper.
@stacy46
hi
@stacy46 Hey. You are amazing and brave to really put yourself out here like this.
When I first accepted/realized I was a sex addict, choosing lust over anything meaningful in my life, I started at a website called rowboatandmarbles. That helped educate me a lot about what I was doing and the self-destructive choices I was making.
It also helped me decide to join a community (by which I mean a 12 step program). I found that SA was the most helpful for me (though I tried a couple others to really decide).
SA has phone meetings, though I apologize, I don't know what the call in number is.
Meetings are great and working the steps really helps me to accept past mistakes. But one of the greatest things for me that has really made this program work has been having a group of people available that really understand what I was/am going through. They've been there. So I knew that whenever I called someone from group, they would listen and I wouldn't fear any judgment. They've done it all or more.
Also, for a book, if you find some money to make a purchase, I would recommend Patrick Carnes. Pretty much the authority to sexual addiction. Through his work, he has helped people recognize sexual addiction as the disease it is and to help people find their true selves.
He has several books and built it into a series. Just start with book 1. But then, as with any therapuetic exercise, don't keep it to yourself. If you feel safe, share your growth and experiences or struggles.
A lot of this type of therapy starts out as group therapy, to help get your life back on track and to provide a support group for you. Then, you can start working one-on-one with a therapist to get into the deep issues.
I should clarify, that's what I found helpful. I tried both group and individual therapy at the same time, but it all amounted to the same thing; I was trying to re-establish order in my life (to stop acting out and to find healthy ways of coping). That's where others were so important to me. I could call them (and inversely, they'd call me to) when there was trouble. And instead of doing something negative and destructive, I was turning to healthy choices and allowing myself to connect with others. I was allowing myself to be seen for who I am, not for who I thought people would like or who I thought they wanted me to be.
I hope you can find you too!
Hi how are you
@stacy46
do women like the sight of ***?
