Many people get on the recovery path either after painful incidents related to their actions around sex or love or through a gradual realization that something concerning their sex or love life is not right.
Some entered recovery because they realized that their porn watching habit was damaging their life. Others opened the recovery door because an affair was uncovered by their partner or multiple incidents of infidelity came out in the open. Some walked in because they realized that repeated casual sex incidents or prostitute visits were not healthy for them.
A few others started walking the path of change because they kept fantasizing or chasing unavailable people. Some others chose the path because their habit of scanning social websites for sexual or romantic encounters was becoming dangerous or damaging to them. For others the realization that they needed to do something came while waiting at a clinic to be tested for STD’s or HIV.
The above are some, and there are many more reasons, why one decides to get on the recovery path and starts working on living a better life. Compulsive behavior related to sex or love does cause damage to oneself as well as others regardless whether you are a man, woman, single, married or in a relationship. It can lead to loss of friends, partners, families, reputation, jobs and to health and emotional problems.
The goal of a person in recovery from sex and love addition is not to abstain from sex or love. In fact one of the aims of recovery is to develop healthy intimacy with partners, friends and family as well as a good sex and love life. Overall the goal is to create a happy, healthy life.
In the SLAA Journal (available on http://www.slaafws.org) V., a member in recovery, describes some of the changes happening in his life:
“It’s now possible for me to experience love. It started with my sponsor, then I was able to love my family, with real emotion, and they could feel the difference. I used to just fake it. I love now in ways I didn’t know were possible, and none of the people I love are one-night stands, porn stars, or the wives of others. I can even cuddle with my girlfriend without feeling like I need to wiggle free after a few minutes.”
He is not alone in regards to the positive changes that people experience in recovery. Recovery is a life changing journey, a journey that if you stick with it leads to a better, healthier life.
A life well lived.
