Is There Hope for Sex Addicts?

Do sex addicts ever really recover? That is the question I most frequently hear. The answer is a definite “yes”.

To understand this, think of other chronic illnesses. Diabetes is a debilitating illness. However, if you learn how to eat appropriately, manage your weight, and watch for signs of blood sugar problems, you can live and thrive.

Similarly, addicts can learn to live a happy, joyous, and free life as long as they maintain the practices essential to recovery. They must learn to live in a recovery “zone” in which their sexual behavior is healthy. This workbook is built on that proven premise. The last chapter of this workbook provides more information about how this program works, including an overview of the tasks that successful recovering people do to live in the recovery zone.
Some people in early recovery feel that their problems are overwhelming and see no hope. They keep relapsing, or they become so hopeless and despairing that they consider suicide. Here again, the problem is not hopeless. Often, what these people need is more support, such as an inpatient (residential) or outpatient (nonresidential) program. If they are already in therapy, they often need a more structured outpatient program with more frequent appointments and group therapy^{.Carnes, Patrick (2015), p 81}

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The bottom line is that hope is connected to your courage. In order to change, you must confront the denial and delusion of your addictive system. This can be very painful. Usually this means that what you believed to be true does not turn out to be so.

Carnes,Patrick (2015) Facing the Shadow - Starting Sexual relationship recovery, 3rd Edition, Gentle Path Press