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Executive functioning skills are necessary for recovery from sex addiction. The term executive functioning refers to a set of cognitive skills that includes the ability to maintain attention, shift attention, initiate tasks, and inhibit behaviors as needed. Executive functioning (EF) enables you to direct your behavior according to conscious, long-term goals, even when that means…

Percent of Sex Addicts with Lifetime Histories of Axis I Disorders Do sex addicts suffer from elevated rates of mood disorders (a category that includes various forms of depression and bipolar disorder), anxiety disorders, and substance addictions? As I reported in the May issue of The “S” Newsletter”, no high quality studies (i.e., based on a…

It is common for people with addictions, including sex addiction, to suffer from other psychological problems as well. You may know people in the S program who also struggle with depression, anxiety, or other problems. The term comorbidity means that two disorders co-occur. If a large percentage of sex addicts suffer from depression, we would…

In my work with the partners of sex addicts, I’m frequently asked questions that reveal painful self-doubt. Sometimes the questions are explicit. Other times, the questions are veiled, but the concerns are always clear: What is wrong with me? What did I do that made him have sex with other people? Is it my personality,…

Perhaps you’ve heard of paraphilias. In contrast to sex addiction, this is a term that is recognized in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). It refers to sexual desires that are unusual, seem strange to most people, and meet the criteria for sex addiction that I offered in the last newsletter (i.e.,…

Books and blogs that describe the pain suffered by sex addicts and the process of recovery serve an important purpose. They encourage people to seek help and work to make changes in their lives. Many capable and earnest authors are producing such materials. Unfortunately, many books written for the general public on the topic of…

There’s a lot of misinformation circulating about this issue. Here’s a clip in which I provide available facts and put the issue in perspective. The clip begins with a two or three minute discussion about rates of infidelity. I know that doesn’t sound relevant to the question about childhood sexual abuse and sex addiction, but…

Turns out the answer to this question isn’t as simple as you might have imagined. Here’s a segment from a workshop for mental health professionals in which I addressed the issue. It’s slightly technical, but if you’re interested in the topic, it’s a good summary of the evidence.

This is an interview I did for Psyc.TV. In it, I spoke with Scott Lilienfeld, Ph.D. (professor, Emory University) about various topics that he addressed in his highly-acclaimed book on myths in psychology.

Differences in opinions, goals, and habits drive most partners apart, but happy couples use their differences to build acceptance, understanding, and intimacy. In couples therapy, you can learn to do this too. Conflict and disappointment are inherent in close relationships. Every person is unique and complex. We vary on personality dimensions (e.g., introverted – extroverted),…