Sexual Addiction
Our Approach to Compulsive Sexual Behavior
Sexual addiction can be a very serious problem, with implications for the sufferer, partners, and loved ones. The Westwood Institute for Anxiety Disorders has created a program to help treat sexual aggression and addiction. A multidisciplinary team of experts, including a psychiatrist, psychologist and endocrinologist collaborate to address distressing symptoms of hyper impulsivity, addiction and aggression. Testing protocols and evidence-backed treatment methodology are utilized to ensure progress and to provide successful treatment.
Sexual addiction is treated differently than sexual obsessions. When treating sexual obsessive-compulsive disorder, there is a complete avoidance of sexual cues, such as looking at magazines, sexual objects, or anything that may provoke a sexual thought. Sexual obsession is often times not purely OCD by definition but is intertwined with impulsivity and compulsivity. This form of OCD has the tendency to be right in the middle of the spectrum where desire and disgust are intertwined.
Treatment
It is important for the therapist to be well aware of when the obsession turns into the desire or when the onset of sexual impulse occurs. Once this is recognized, a therapist can have the insight to stop the impulses at the specific moment that they manifest into an obsession. From that point, abstinence from the sexual trigger becomes crucial.
Exposure to sexual triggers should not be to the level of the habituation.
- Start with complete avoidance of any sexual objects or sexual cues/provocations dependent on the sexual obsession.
- Exposure must begin slow (no longer than 5 mins. long to start)
- Incrementally increase exposure to the point of toleration without experiencing a desire
This is to ensure that the patient is still within their threshold of tolerance with a desire or impulse before it begins to turn into an actual pleasurable and desirable object. Exposure must be halted immediately at this point. It is difficult to retrain the mind to refrain from compulsions because often times the habituation, desire, and sexual drive is so strong that it turns into addictive behavior.
Assessment
It is imperative to remember that assessment and individualization of each specific case is a must. During the process of evaluation, it is crucial to determine where the desire begins and where the disgust ends.
It is crucial in sexual obsessions to determine whether or not there are some other addictive behaviors, such as drug/alcohol addiction, gambling, overeating, or other habitual addictions that may coexist with this particular addictive impulsivity. Removing the possible triggers for those is extremely important. The first order of things may be to ensure that any drug/alcohol addiction and anger management are under control.
It is very important to also check if the sexual obsessions co-occur with religious and/or aggressive obsessions. This form of OCD needs to be screened and well assessed to ensure religious, sexual, and aggressive compulsions are simultaneously addressed for a better chance of successful treatment.
Online and Phone Therapy
The Westwood Institute for anxiety Disorders is extending our services to online and telephone therapy to clients around the world struggling with OCD and related disorders. This method is cost-effective, which benefits clients with restrictions that do not allow them to leave their homes. The American Psychological Association has provided distance therapy to be safe and reliable. Furthermore, there are numerous studies and client testimonies that have indicated success through this method. In 1997, California established phone and online therapy to be legal. Be assured that all client information will always remain private and safe. If you have any further questions, please feel free to email us.
Due to the current pandemic (COVID-19), we are extending our services to full online and phone therapy to our clients.
Dr. Gorbis gives Grand Rounds at UCLA Medical School
