Dealing with a loved one's sex addiction can be very difficult, causing you to go through a variety of emotions. You may feel as though you cannot help the person with their addiction, or you may even blame yourself. You may keep these feelings bottled up inside due to the sensitivity of the subject, not wanting to cause embarrassment or shame. However, some of these actions are not only detrimental to you, but also to your recovering loved one as well.
Stop Enabling
It is easy to unintentionally enable people who are recovering from a sex addiction to continue their patterns of behavior. People suffering from addictions will manipulate those around them; examples of this can include asking a friend or family member to lie or maintain secrecy to hide an addiction. At times, loved ones may even find that they will try to justify behavior in order to help recovering people feel better about themselves. These actions are not supportive and only hinder recovery by not demanding accountability for negative actions.
Offer Support
There are several ways that a friend or family member living with someone recovering from sex addiction can offer support without enabling. One of the most important things that you can do is set boundaries for acceptable behavior and stick to it. This can include not allowing pornography in the home or ensuring that the sex-addicted person attends therapy. Everyone close to the person in recovery should be on the same page and united in terms of establishing what behaviors are not acceptable. It is equally important to remind the person in recovery that he or she is loved and isn't being judged.
Get Help
A sex addiction is not only difficult for the person who is addicted, but also for friends and family. Sometimes it can seem like too much to handle. Between trying to be supportive of the person in recovery and dealing with the impact of the addiction, difficulties may arise. Joining a support group for family members dealing with a loved one's sex addiction can make the process easier. In addition to sharing valuable information and tips, these groups can offer support without the judgment that could come from people unfamiliar with sex addiction. Your loved one can overcome a sex addiction, but you must prepare for the challenging journey to sobriety.
