Sex Addiction

Of those which deal with sex and love addiction, this work is alone in that it examines adolescents as a specific population. The number of case histories presented in the text are a prominent feature. The work should be of interest to clinicians and clients both. The book addresses the case of adolescent sex and love addicts as was done with adolescent chemical dependents 20 years ago.

The National Institute of Health has identified sexual addiction as a research priority. This volume provides a detailed definition of sex and love addiction as well as an explicit outline of treatment and recovery. It uniquely integrates sex and love in its formulation and presents a two level approach to recovery. This presentation provides in-depth examples and suggestions for change and supports the growing involvement of Twelve-Step programs in mental health. Professionals will find this volume an excellent resource in their clinical practice.

This is the only book that addresses diagnostic, neurochemical, and treatment issues of sexual compulsivity in such depth. This work includes a description of an intensive outpatient therapy program designed to treat the sexually addicted patient. A three-and-one-half hour weekly program was designed with the following elements: psychoeducational groups, same-sex group psychotherapy, and 12-Step meetings. In addition to lectures there are group and dyad/triad discussions, role playing, and psychodrama. This is followed by traditional group therapy, and then by a meeting of Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (SLAA) that is open to the public.

The central focus of this work is that partners entrance one another into enmeshed bonding through the euphoric idealization of "perfect love." This idealization is found to serve as a hypnotic allure which, by its sheer luster, blinds partners to its perilous powers of manifest magnetism. The stages of hypnotic entrancement are delineated, starting with fantasy fixation of perfect love and its eventual demise.