Sex / Pornography Addiction Support Group

I must agree that it is very hard being a women sex addict, we've talked about it with my GF, and there are very few resources available to you.

Couple ideas for you though,

Try telemetering, they are not the same but they are whole a lot better then nothing.

Try a different 12 step group that is more likely to attract women, ( I.e. emotional anonymous )once again not the same but is better then nothing.

Try a smart recovery group in your area. http://www.smartrecovery.org/

Try finding women in AA groups and NA groups and see if they also struggle from sex addiction in conjunction with their other addictions, this is often the case.

Start your own group. Post your contact info on the web site of the group that you prefer and chances are you will find somebody. All it takes is 2 addicts to start a group.

Find a women counselor experienced with sex addiction.

Read the drug of new millennium, it addresses female addicts.

Research other books, there must be some, and if there aren't think about writing your own as you go through recovery. (i.e. I blog about my recovery, so it helps me recovery... but I also hope to help others, but there are plenty of resources for men and very few for women, so there would be a lot more value if you were to blog about your recovery)

Try contacting religious organizations in your area, they might have some programs that would help you.

And last but not least, use this group. There are many of us here. Mostly man SA and SO, but that doesn't mean we can't understand you and where you are coming from, and will not be able to support you.

There is a solution. Self educate yourself. For example I did most of the 12 steps before I even got to the group, I am now re doing it with help of others. I've read and listened to quite a few books on the subject, and I've done counseling and some online programs. But the trick is to take all this knowledge and find the things that work for you. Notice that I said things not thing. Combination of methods usually produces the best result.

Here is a resource page that I've put together:
http://www.feedtherightwolf.org/20...

A female sex addicts definitely faces challenges a male addict doesn't. Among them are the societal stereotypes concerning women. It's bad enough to be a sex addict in the first place, but we tend to hold women to a much higher standard than we do men. That isn't right. Sexual addiction is a disease, not a moral shortcoming, but unfortunately, a lot of people don't understand that and judge the female addict rather harshly. I truly hope you don't buy into any of this cultural stuff, because it is a LIE!!

You said you'd read "Out of the Shadows", but it really didn't do it for you. As good as this book is, it really only speaks to the male experience. To get a woman's perspective, and thereby round out your understanding of this disease, I would suggest you try reading "Women, Sex, and Addiction", by Charlotte Kasl, Ph. D. Your local library or bookstore might have it. Or, you can try ordering it from AMAZON.COM, or from the publication and distribution arm of Hazelden (www.recoverysuperstore.com/). The book costs around $15.00 I believe,

As far as meetings go, you might want to check out Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (S.L.A.A.) if you haven't done so already. If you'll go to the top of this page and click on "Recommendations", you'll find their address, phone number, and e-mail address listed. When you get to their website, check out their "Where and When" listing. This lists every one of their group meetings all across the country, indexed by state for your convenience. See if there is a group that is convenient for you. If not, you might want to consider the online groups, which has already been suggested, or one of the telephone groups. For some reason, the ladies seem to identify with this group more than the do with just the straight sexual addiction groups.

If none of these options work out for you, you might want to consider calling Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous and ask them if they have a female in recovery in your area who has volunteered to be a telephone sponsor for people new to recovery. Very often, they will have people like that available. Or if not, they may have the name and phone number of another female addict in your area who is looking for support. The two of you can start your own S.L.A.A. group (as has also been suggested) and maybe make it for women only, if that feels a little safer to the both of you.

Finally, as far as the counselor goes, you definitely need to be seeing a FEMALE counselor who is familiar with sexual addiction. I would suggest you check the list of counselors that is available on a website maintained by the Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health (www.sash.net/). You might also wish to check out the counselors that Dr. Patrick Carnes has listed on his website, Sex Help (www.sexhelp.com/). Both resources also contain a lot of other information you may find helpful.

That covers things for now, so I'm going to close. Let me just encourage you not to give up the fight. The battle is a bit tougher for women than it is for men, but the end results--sanity, self respect, and freedom--are well worth the effort. Please don't give up, and please stay in touch with this panel and let us all know how you're doing. May God bless you. You'll be in my thoughts and prayers.