Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Recovery and Sobriety

Sobriety is a term that can mean many different things for different people. Sobriety for an alcoholic means refraining from alcohol - sobriety for a drug addict means not using drugs. Sobriety for a sex addict, however, does not mean refraining from all sexual activity. This is especially true for sex addicts who are married or in a healthy relationship. 

Sex can be a good thing, especially when it is between two consenting adult partners. It can initiate intimacy and strengthen the bond between two people, bringing them together and making them feel close. Keeping this in mind, sobriety for someone who deals with sexual addiction means that they refrain from compulsive sexual activity that has a negative impact on their life. While it can be beneficial to refrain from all sexual activity in the begging of an addicts recovery period, recovery does not mean never having sex again. In fact, it is beneficial for an addict to essentially "redefine" sex; to make sex about love, passion, trust, and respect, instead of  a compulsive need that they must have in order to get by. In order to do this addicts must be completely honest with themselves and those around them. They must be able to realize when they are strong enough to engage in healthy sexual activities again, and when they should refrain from unhealthy behaviors.

Always remember that there is hope. L.I.F.E Recovery provides access to support groups and literature that can help you recover, and change your sexual habits into positive, instead of compulsive.

Reference:

"What Does Recovery From Sex Addiction Look Like?" by Stephen Jay Schwartz  https://www.thefix.com/content/what-does-recovery-sex-addiction-look-12204?page=all

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