# Can marriage counselor help sex addict?



## Broken-hearted35 (1 mo ago)

I feel like my husband may have a sex addiction. I’m wondering if a marriage counselor can really treat this type of a problem. I know it would be better to find a sex therapist but we just don’t have one in the area, so I’m trying to understand best options/outcomes.


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## Laurentium (May 21, 2017)

I recommend you to start by reading this article, if you're open to it. It discusses different ways of looking at sex addiction. And how there are a number of different things that can fall under this heading. Lumping them all together under "sex addiction" is generally not helpful. It can be several different things. Does your husband think he has a problem?









Why There’s No Such Thing As Sex Addiction—and Why It Matters


Sex addiction is an easy label for people driven mad by shame & Christian demands for sexual purity. But the problem is shame, not sex.



www.martyklein.com


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## Broken-hearted35 (1 mo ago)

Laurentium said:


> I recommend you to start by reading this article, if you're open to it. It discusses different ways of looking at sex addiction.


thanks for the article. According to this he wouldn’t be considered a sex addict, other articles I’ve read he would. He doesn’t know what’s going on with him. He’s currently seeing a marriage counselor. I just want to make sure that’s the best avenue for him.


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## Diana7 (Apr 19, 2016)

Broken-hearted35 said:


> thanks for the article. According to this he wouldn’t be considered a sex addict, other articles I’ve read he would. He doesn’t know what’s going on with him. He’s currently seeing a marriage counselor. I just want to make sure that’s the best avenue for him.


I think that calling cheating an addiction is just an attempt to try and absolve someone from the things he has done when actually people cheat because they choose to.


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## MattMatt (May 19, 2012)

He probably needs to see a psychologist rather than a marriage counsellor?


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## Laurentium (May 21, 2017)

MattMatt said:


> He probably needs to see a psychologist rather than a marriage counsellor?


That depends what he's doing. Maybe I missed it, but I don't know whether this is porn, masturbation, hookers, phone sex lines, or what,,,,,


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## Broken-hearted35 (1 mo ago)

Laurentium said:


> That depends what he's doing. Maybe I missed it, but I don't know whether this is porn, masturbation, hookers, phone sex lines, or what,,,,,


Porn and masturbation for years. Recently it’s moved into sexting and a failed attempt with a hooker.


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## Diana7 (Apr 19, 2016)

Broken-hearted35 said:


> Porn and masturbation for years. Recently it’s moved into sexting and a failed attempt with a hooker.


Sounds like more if a porn addiction. That can often lead to other things.


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## LisaDiane (Jul 22, 2019)

Anything that has a level of compulsion and obsession that is difficult to control would benefit from some type of addiction therapy. I'm not sure if I agree with "sex addiction" over just plain "selfish a-hole" for alot of people engaging in cheating and destructive self-gratification behaviors, but all of that seems outside the scope of a basic marriage counselor.

Like @MattMatt said, I believe he would benefit more from an individual counselor who has experience treating addiction and compulsion. 

That isn't going to be a quick fix for him though, so you need to temper your expectations. HE has to want and commit to change...and even then, it could be something he struggles with for the rest of his life.


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## redHairs (6 mo ago)

Broken-hearted35 said:


> Recently it’s moved into sexting and a failed attempt with a hooker.


You mean an attempt to cheating you? Or you're in kinda of open relationships?


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