So what makes a sex addict? Sex addicts come from families where there were addicts of all kinds. Families of sex addicts have been described as detached, uninvolved, and emotionally absent. They have also been described as rigid, dogmatic, and inflexible. Sex addicts report high incidences of physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse in their families of origin. It is clear for sex addicts that trauma or high stress and addiction are inextricably connected. This can include physiological/psychological trauma reactions from unresolved past traumatic experiences; seeking or finding pleasure in the presence of extreme danger, violence, risk, or shame; efforts to numb, block out, or overwhelm residual feelings due to trauma; and blocking traumatic realities by splitting or dissociating from painful experiences and not integrating those experiences into personality or daily life. For sex addicts less than 13% of addicts have only one addiction and sustained recovery is more successful when all addictions present are addressed. Addictions do not merely coexist, but actually interact with each other. For those who may be struggling with sexual addiction and are married a good book to consider is “Open Hearts: Renewing Relationships with Recovery, Romance, and Reality” by Patrick Carnes and Debra and Mark Laaser.  If you or someone you know may need counseling, please contact Lamar Hunt Jr. or see his website at http://lamarhuntjrcounseling.com/.