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Pages 153-162
Published online: 28 Dec 2017
 
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The power of sexual love is unequaled in human experience. Sex is not addiction; addiction is not sex. But these two experiences can come together and result in sexual addiction or compulsivity. This article defines sex addiction, summarizes the history and research that supports the idea of sex addiction, identifies 20 characteristics of sex addiction, discusses patterns and treatment issues, and summarizes how transactional analysis has been used in therapy with individuals with sexual addiction. The article includes case examples to clarify how sex addiction affects individuals and their partners.

Additional information

Author information

Brenda Schaeffer

Brenda Schaeffer has a doctorate in spiritual psychology and is a licensed psychologist, a certified addiction specialist in sexual addiction, and author of Is It Love or Is It Addiction?; Loving Me, Loving You; Balancing Love and Power in a Codependent World; Love's Way; Love or Addiction?: The Power and Peril of Teen Sex and Romance; The Healthy Relationship Series, the Corrective Parenting Chart, Inner Reflections meditation CD, and several professional articles. She is a Certified Transactional Analyst (psychotherapy), past executive board member of the Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health, associate member of the Association of Enneagram Teachers, and a consultant to Life Works Treatment Center in the UK. She has a private practice in Minneapolis that includes training, speaking, and therapy. She can be reached at 15798 Venture Lane, Suite 101, Eden Prairie, MN 55344, U.S.A.; ; Web site: www.loveaddiction.com.