As part of its ongoing series, The Meadows, America’s premier center for the treatment of addiction and trauma, presents a video of Maureen Canning discussing sexual addiction in women.
In the fourth video of her nine-part series, Ms. Canning, a leading expert in the field of sexual addiction, talks about common perceptions – and misconceptions – of sex addiction.
“A lot of people don’t believe that sex addiction is real,” she says. “In fact, it’s very real, very dangerous – and it can kill.”
Despite the prevalence of jokes downplaying the condition’s seriousness (e.g., “If I had an addiction, it’s the one I’d want to have.”), Ms. Canning stresses that sexual addiction often is emotionally painful because of the intense shame an addict feels.
“Sex addicts believe they don’t deserve love, don’t deserve attention, don’t deserve to be respected,” she says. “And so they don’t respect themselves, and they act out with behaviors that are outside their value systems.” It’s a vicious cycle, she explains, and it can lead to deep despair, even suicide.
Ms. Canning, MA, LMFT, is a clinical consultant and senior fellow at The Meadows of Wickenburg and a clinical consultant at Dakota, The Meadows’ extended-care facility dedicated to treating sexual addiction and trauma. She is a foremost expert in the treatment of sexual disorders, and her clinical experience includes individual, couples, and family counseling; workshops; lectures; educational trainings; and interventions. She has written several books, including Lust, Anger, Love: Understanding Sexual Addiction and The Road to Healthy Intimacy.
In other videos in the series, she talks about the nature of healthy sexuality, shame and sex addiction, and what partners of sex addicts need to know.
View the entire series of The Meadows’ videos, including interviews with John Bradshaw and Dr. Jerry Boriskin, at www.youtube.com/themeadowswickenburg.
For more about The Meadows’ innovative treatment program for addictions and trauma, visit www.themeadows.org or call The Meadows at 800-244-4949.