Untreated sex addiction can lead to relapse to alcohol/drug use.

Addiction treatment professionals who don't evaluate their patients for sex addiction are missing an important chance to reduce the likelihood of relapse, according to three experts interviewed by ADAW. By not treating any underlying sex addiction, they are leaving open the possibility that these patient will not be able to stay drug- and alcohol-free. Like chemical addictions, sex addiction is a brain disease, according to these experts, who are all involved with mainstream addiction medicine.

Patrick J. Carnes, Ph.D., the founding father of sex addiction treatment and executive director of Pine Grove Behavioral Health and Addiction Services in Hattiesberg, Miss., Robert Weiss, LCSW, CSAT, sexual addiction disorder specialist for CRC Health Group as well as director of Sexual Integrity Services at Life Healing Center in Santa Fe, N.M., and Chris Patrone, Psy.D., CAC, LPC, primary therapist at Seabrook House in Seabrook, N.J., discussed the …