How Traumatic is Infidelity?
Most sex addicts do not think about the pain they may be causing to their spouse or long-term partner. It’s not that they don’t care; it’s that they simply avoid thinking about or even considering the damage they are doing. Typically this damage occurs on two levels. First there is the pain and hurt caused by the actual infidelity, and then there is the agony caused by all the lying, secret keeping, and covering up. Oftentimes this second part, the dishonesty, is what ultimately causes the most distress to the cheated on spouse.
Series of Sexting Cases Emerge Involving FBI Employees
Even the FBI is not immune to sexting.
A recent CNN article discusses how FBI employees received documents and reports aimed at stopping sex-related behaviors on the job, including sexting in the workplace. The documents reported on incidences of employees sending sexual messages or photos to each other, noting that the activity took place on phones and tools given to employees for use by the government. The article also called the sexting events a “rash,” indicating that there were several.
The Basic Facts about “Sex Rehab” – Part Two
If you missed The Basic Facts about “Sex Rehab” – Part One you can read it here.
Many people enter inpatient sex addiction treatment expecting that the primary focus of the work will be identifying and resolving their childhood trauma. Certainly this is one aspect of sex rehab, but it’s only one among many, and a minor one at that, since helping patients gain insight into childhood concerns is, at this point, far less important than the immediate issue of stopping the sexual fantasies, urges, and behaviors that are causing problems in the patient’s life. In other words, first things first, and the first thing to do in sex addiction treatment, beyond a thorough bio-psycho-social-sexual assessment, is to identify and stop the problematic sexual behavior. Later, after the addict is stabilized and has established a modicum of sexual sobriety, childhood trauma and other underlying psychological issues can effectively be addressed.
Understanding Voyeuristic Disorder
Voyeuristic disorder is a mental health condition characterized by a pattern of conduct that centers on watching others in order to achieve sexual gratification. It belongs to a group of conditions in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders called paraphilic disorders. Not all people who engage in voyeurism have voyeuristic disorder. In order to meet the criteria for the condition, affected individuals must experience personal anguish as a result of their behavior, or alternately, must produce anguish in other people and/or violate other people’s rights.
The Basic Facts about “Sex Rehab” – Part One
In many ways, inpatient treatment for sexual addiction, aka “sex rehab,” is similar to substance abuse rehab – focusing on breaking through the addict’s denial, managing the crisis or crises that drove the patient into treatment, social learning, and relapse prevention. Basically, work centers on immediate concerns related to stopping the addictive sexual behavior. Yes, longer term issues like ongoing depression, severe anxiety, low self-esteem, and childhood trauma often underlie sexual addiction and definitely need to be addressed, but these problems are more appropriately dealt with after the addict is stabilized and has a modicum of sobriety under his/her belt.
Romantic Relationships Can Endure Mental Illness, Study Finds
It is difficult to go through life’s challenges alone. That is why researchers from the United Kingdom were so encouraged by a recent study that says that most partners of those with mental illness are understanding, supportive, and have a great impact on improving the life of their partner.
