Does therapy help with sexual addiction?

Yes, therapy is the best-known way to treat sexual addiction. Though most sex addicts often experience feelings of regret, shame, anxiety, and depression, causing them to hold back from opening up or going for therapy, therapy is the best path to healing.

According to WebMD,  the same therapeutic approaches used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and impulsive control disorder are used to treat sex addiction. They include medication, support groups, individual therapy, trauma therapy, step programming, and other therapies. 

Depending on the individual, treatment may occur at either an outpatient recovery program or a residential facility. Inpatient treatment is more advantageous as it offers a supportive and focused environment that is free from distractions and triggers and allows patients to focus exclusively on treatment.

Therapy aims at helping the individual confront their delusional sexual thoughts and shame, identify their behavioral triggers, develop positive coping mechanisms, and develop a sense of accountability for their actions.


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