5 Special Challenges You’ll Face as the Partner of a Sex Addict
As a partner of a sex addict, it’s common to feel betrayed, isolated, and alone.
Even if your partner is trying to get help for their addiction, your own needs might get ignored as they focus on their recovery.
Being the partner of a sex addict is often a traumatic experience. At times, you may discover deceptive activities, feeling betrayed each time.
There is no doubt you face special challenges in your relationship, whether your partner is currently working on recovery or not.
By recognizing these challenges, you can learn to handle them better. As a result, you’ll be able to better help your partner through their addiction. Plus, you’ll also have a better handle on how to deal with your own feelings as well.
1. The Discovery Will Be a Shock
The first time you discover signs that your partner is a sex addict will be an unbelievable shock. This is true even if you’ve already had suspicions.
Finding an excessive amount of pornography on their computer, or learning that they have been meeting other people for sex will deeply impact you.
If you’ve already discovered your partner’s addiction, it’s normal to feel hurt and betrayed. Don’t feel as though you’re overreacting by expressing those feelings.
2. The Shock Doesn’t Go Away
One of the biggest challenges you’ll likely face as the partner of a sex addict is that you’ll be continuously shocked.
Whether your partner is getting help for their addiction or not, you’ll probably always feel hurt when you discover their continuing habits and actions.
This is true even if the addiction has been going on for years.
3. Dealing With Loneliness
Most partners of a sex addict struggle with loneliness.
It’s easy to feel like your partner is looking for something or someone else. Or, that you’re not good enough.
Some people choose to keep their partner’s addiction a secret. This is often done either to save face or not to embarrass the person they love. In some cases, it’s to protect the family if children are involved.
As a result, it’s easy to feel like you’re handling everything on your own. If you can’t talk to someone about your partner’s addiction, isolation can become a crippling feeling.
4. The Haunting of Unanswered Questions
Undoubtedly, you’ll have questions for your partner once you discover their addiction. Don’t be surprised if there are some questions they either don’t want to answer or simply feel they can’t answer.
Obviously, it can be frustrating to go through this. Many times, though, it’s not that your partner doesn’t want to give you information. Sometimes, the addiction can be so severe that they don’t even realize why they’re doing it anymore.
For this reason, it’s so important for sex addicts to seek out some kind of professional help.
Once they do, they can get to the bottom of the addiction. As a result, they’ll be able to better communicate with you, as their partner.
5. Slow and Steady Treatment
As important as treatment and recovery are to sex addiction, they too can be difficult for partners to go through.
When your partner agrees to treatment, you might expect the recovery to happen quickly. Unfortunately, that can lead to a lot of disappointment.
Instead, it’s important to focus on small victories as your partner stays on their road to recovery. Although you’ll likely be their biggest supporter, a lot of weight may fall on your shoulders.
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If the feelings of loneliness and betrayal become too overwhelming, don’t ignore your own needs.
It’s understandable for the partner of a sex addict to need their own support and help to get through the recovery process. Please contact us today if you’re needing support as a parter of a sex addict.
Being able to talk to a sex addiction professional about your struggles can make it easier for you to be there for your partner while taking care of your own needs, as well.
