The concept of sexual addiction has gained increasing recognition in the academic and healthcare communities since the 1990s. It has also captured the attention of the media, where there has been much debate over whether it can truly be described as an addiction. What is certain is that many people struggle with out of control sexual behaviour, which takes over their lives and has harmful consequences for their relationships, careers and finances.
The Routledge International Handbook of Sexual Addiction brings together a comprehensive range of perspectives on sexual addiction from a worldwide selection of scholars and therapists. It sets out to define sexual addiction and to study its causes from a range of different psychological perspectives. A series of presentations of sexual addiction are outlined, including internet sexual addiction and the relationship between paraphilias and sex addiction. The handbook considers both individual and group treatment strategies, drawing on a wide range of approaches, including cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness and 12-step programmes. The book studies sex addiction in specific populations including women, adolescents and men who have sex with men. Finally, it considers some of the alternative discourses surrounding the concept of sexual addiction.
This is the first comprehensive reference book to bring together global viewpoints on advances in research, theory and practice in one volume. This handbook provides an essential guide for academics and students of psychotherapy, counselling, nursing, addiction, sexualities, social work and health and social care, as well as professionals in practice and in training working with sexual addiction and related issues.
"This handbook is essential reading for anyone working academically or clinically in the field of sexuality. It is heavyweight in terms of its authorship and its scope and approach to the issues of out of control sexual behaviour, covering behavioural, psychological, social, and neurological contributory processes. ?It presents a balance of the arguments for and against the concept of sexual addiction and discusses varying treatment options. As such, it should also be required reading for all therapeutic students as they formulate their own ways of working with this ubiquitous clinical presentation." - Dr Glyn Hudson Allez, Forensic Psychosexual Therapist, Fellow of COSRT, UK
