Sex Addiction Recovery Timeline: How long will it take?
Author:
Jonathan
Published:
Jul 11, 2024
,
11:09 a.m.
ET
Updated:
Sep 10, 2024
,
02:58 p.m.
ET
Sex addiction is something that many people struggle with in secret. This challenging behavioral addiction can negatively impact every aspect of one’s life. Professional treatment is vital if the individual can’t control their sexual urges.
Fortunately, recovery from sex addiction is possible. Many sex addicts have fully recovered and go on to live healthy lifestyles. The timeline for recovery from sex addiction depends on many factors.
Some individuals might go through a lengthier recovery, while many others could recover quickly. This guide will explain the sex addiction treatment process in greater detail.
What is sex addiction?
Sex addiction is a serious mental health condition. The term is used to describe the compulsive urge for sexual acts. The DSM-5 doesn’t recognize sex addiction, so it’s hard to categorize.
One sign could be the secrecy of sexual behavior. Individuals learn to hide their behavior and keep it a secret from their family members, friends, and partners. This compulsive behavior can ruin relationships. It can also cause infidelity in some relationships.
How common is sex addiction in the United States?
There is little information on how common sex addiction is in the United States. Some studies revealed that between 3% and 6% of Americans suffer from sex addiction.
Sex addiction is more common among men than women. Research from the University of Minnesota revealed that nearly 10% of American men and 7% of American women struggle with compulsive sexual urges.
However, more research is needed to compare sex addiction among men and women. The data can be skewed more towards men.
How long does recovery from sex addiction take?
Recovery from sex addiction varies among individuals. It’s based on factors such as negative outcomes, underlying reasons, and the severity of the addiction. The individual must be willing and committed to treatment.
This can involve going to therapy and making lifestyle changes. What can also help is having a supportive network of family, friends, and professionals throughout their recovery.
Some self-help support groups have a successful recovery rate. However, the severity of the sex addiction can impact recovery time. Other co-occurring mental health problems like anxiety or depression can prolong recovery. Here is the initial timeline for recovery:
Initial Stage (0-3 months)
This stage starts with an assessment. During this time, a professional will assess the severity of the addiction and choose the most appropriate treatment. The individual might abstain from sexual behaviors or remove triggers that cause the addiction. This stage involves learning about sex addiction and common triggers.
Onslaught Recovery (3-6 months)
Therapy can occur in individual or group settings. The individual will understand the root causes of sex addiction. From there, they will develop healthier coping skills. The individual might also be encouraged to participate in support groups.
They could learn new behaviors, skills, and cognitive beliefs that support their long-term recovery. Skills might include boundary setting and practicing self-care.
Ongoing Recovery (6-12 months)
Broken relationships can occur for some individuals who suffer from compulsive sexual behavior. During this stage, they will work to repair those relationships. This might include couples counseling or family counseling.
Relapse can also happen. Therefore, the individual needs to become aware of triggers and have a relapse prevention plan in place. The individual will also learn critical recovery life skills like communication or stress management.
Maintenance (1 year and beyond)
This stage involves the integration of healthy habits and activities in daily life. The individual will continue to seek support as they maintain a healthy lifestyle. They will also set short-term and long-term goals that align with their new healthier lifestyle.
The sex addiction treatment process
Unlike other behavioral addictions, treatment for sex addiction doesn’t typically start with an official diagnosis. Rather, your mental health professional or healthcare provider will ask you about your mental health history, use of drugs and alcohol and sexual urges.
A licensed mental health professional who’s skilled in sexual addiction can recognize compulsive sexual behaviors and offer comprehensive treatment. Treatment for sex addiction often involves psychotherapy and self-help support groups.
Psychotherapy might come in the form of cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, or acceptance and commitment therapy. Therapy is offered to individuals, couples, and families.
Self-help support groups are modeled after the 12-step program known as Alcoholics Anonymous. The most common self-help groups include Sex Addicts Anonymous, Sexual Compulsives Anonymous, and Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous.
Visit the websites of these organizations to find local meetings. You’ll also find resources and self-help guides.
Signs & causes of sex addiction
As previously stated, most signs aren’t recognizable. Individuals with sex addiction might struggle with the following:
Chronic sexual fantasies
Compulsive sexual acts
Feelings of guilt or shame after sex
Inability to control behavior
Lying to hide behavior
Preoccupation with sex that it interferes with daily life
Sex addiction is otherwise known as hypersexuality. It’s normal and common to have sex. But sex addiction is about the compulsive act itself. Some scientists aren’t sure what’s the cause of this issue.
It could be due to mental health conditions, such as bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, dementia, and epilepsy. These conditions can cause frontal lobe damage.
Sex addiction can also be the result of chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. These increase sexual desire and compulsive behavior.
It can also be a side effect of certain medications such as levodopa, which is commonly used to treat Parkinson’s disease. Alternatively, substance abuse can increase hypersexuality levels.
Factors might also include anger, depression, loneliness and low self-esteem. The latter is most commonly the cause and result of sex addiction, according to findings from research at the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Monastir in Tunisia.
Sex addiction treatment & resources
Birches Health is a virtual treatment provider. There are licensed clinicians who specialize in sex and pornography addiction care. Recovery starts with an assessment from clinical experts to determine the next steps in your recovery.
There are some different options for taking the first step with Birches Health:
You can also just call 833-483-3838 or email hello@bircheshealth.com to connect with the Birches team right away.
Sources:
Sex Addiction: Symptoms, Treatment, and Outlook
Epidemiology, Prevalence, and Natural History of Compulsive Sexual Behavior
