Help for the Partners of Sex Addicts
are some typical reasons for not discussing their issues.
Thus, both partners keep themselves isolated in their emotions. Problems in their own
sexual relationship – a central “break” to be fixed – are rooted in certain core beliefs
that they hold. The addict’s main core belief is that sex is his most important need. The
partner of the sex addict’s main core belief is that sex is the most important sign of love.
Two more “breaks” in the marriage can be traced to communication breakdown and loss
of trust. Neither spouse has effective conflict-resolution skills. Also, both of them have
difficulty setting boundaries on what sexual behaviors they can accept and where they
insist on drawing the line.
Be encouraged because there are a variety of places you can go. First, find a therapist conversant with these issues. Couples report that isolation is their number one enemy. Take the first bold step with your spouse to open up and talk with each other. Acknowledge there are problems and you both want to resolve them. Then look into the self-help available to you. There are 12- step programs for the sex addict and for the sexual codependent.. There are also 12- step programs for couples. All of these groups emulate the Alcoholics Anonymous model, which emphasizes the importance of peer support and identification with others who have gone through what you’ve gone through.
You need to break out of the burden of isolation you’ve placed on yourself due to feelings of guilt and shame. Bringing it into the open and sharingwith other sympathetic couples is invaluable. In couples counseling you’ll discuss subjects that impact your relationships in major ways. Some of these are the renewal of trust, how to work on your communication skills for problem solving, and how to really listen to each other without disapproval.
Be open to understanding that you both will do well when you accept the need for
patience. Recovery, after all, is a process. Just as the problems you are experiencing
didn’t evolve in ten minutes, keep in mind that healing requires a commitment of time.
Recovering couples stress this, and emphasize that they maintain a positive outlook
because they feel good along the way. They know they are empowering themselves
and learning self esteem.
Couples who have participated in therapy, plus 12 step programs for the addict, the partner of the addict, plus the couples’ 12 step groups, have demonstrated a very good success rate.
There is one essential tool you can avail yourself of, and that is seeking treatment with a professional who specializes in sex addiction treatment. Joint professional counseling will enhance your personal recovery. Devoting yourselves to self-discovery together is a choice that will yield excellent results in time.
And remember this – once you choose to take the journey, you will begin to experience
many rewards along the road. One of them is an ever increasing personal freedom in your
spirit. You will discover strengths you never knew you were capable of, and courage you
never knew you had. It is possible for you and your spouse to have a loving, intimate, sexual relationship despite having been through the trauma of active sex addiction.
How can couples counseling help us?
Most couples who come for couples therapy after discovery are in a high state of reactivity, with communication being limited to blame/defense. There is a high degree of projection (seeing the things you like least about yourself in your partner) and a small degree of self-focus. The tendency is to react immediately and emotionally, with no time given for reflective thinking. One task of the therapist is to create a safe, non-volatile space by gradually guiding each person to commit to self-focus which reduces blame and defense.
The therapist will do some psychoeducational pieces on sex addiction and co-addiction to normalize each person’s feelings and further reduce blame. Nothing can be done about the quality of the marriage unless each person commits to a personal program of recovery: an “S” meeting for the addict, and COSA or S-Anon for the co-addict. The couple can come out of the shadow of shame about living with sex addiction through identifying with others who have gone through similar experiences. Here, finally, they find people they can talk to about what they’ve been hiding from family and friends. Regular attendance at meetings gives structure and accountability to the life of the sex addict. A co-addict who works on the steps with a trusted sponsor is renewing her commitment to focus on herself and her own issues, renouncing her focus and