Sexaholics Anonymous
Encyclopedia
Sexaholics Anonymous is one of several twelve-step program
s for hypersexuality
based on the original Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous
. SA takes its place among various 12-step groups that seek recovery from sexual addiction: Sex Addicts Anonymous
, Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
, Sexual Compulsives Anonymous
and Sexual Recovery Anonymous. Collectively these groups are referred to as "S" groups since all their acronyms begin with that letter: SA, SAA, SLAA, SCA, SRA.
SA helps recovering "sexaholics." According to the group, a sexaholic is someone for whom "lust
has become an addiction." Thus SA distinguishes itself from other S groups by defining sexual sobriety
as no sex with self or with partners other than with one's partner in a marriage between a man and a woman.
"In defining sobriety, we do not speak for those outside Sexaholics Anonymous. We can only speak for ourselves. Thus, for the married sexaholic, sexual sobriety means having no form of sex with self or with persons other than the spouse. For the unmarried sexaholic, sexual sobriety means freedom from sex of any kind. And for all of us, single and married alike, sexual sobriety also includes progressive victory over lust. In SA’s sobriety definition, the term “spouse” refers to one’s partner in a marriage between a man and a woman."
The group uses the book "Sexaholics Anonymous" (often referred to as "The White Book") as a guide. The book explains that "the sexaholic has taken himself or herself out of the whole context of what is right or wrong. He or she has lost control, no longer has the power of choice, and is not free to stop."
On July 9, 1999 in Cleveland the SA leadership unanimously voted (9-0) to clarify the definition of "spouse" to be "one's partner in a marriage between a man and a woman." This is known as the Cleveland Clarification. However, homosexual sexaholics aren't excluded from participation in SA and some homosexual SA groups have been formed under the traditional AA name of "Live and Let Live."
Roy Kuljian, the founder of SA, died from cancer on the afternoon of September 15, 2009. He had been sexually sober since January 31, 1976.
The official list of fellowship-approved literature is available here.
clearly forbid extramarital, adulterous and promiscuous sex. The Noble Eightfold Path
taught by Buddha
, prohibits sexual misconduct.
, encourages self-defined sobriety in his writings, saying that a no-masturbation definition of sobriety is only appropriate for some sex addicts and that bottom lines can in fact be modified over time. Joe Kort criticizes SA for its pro-heterosexual marriage stance.
The book Lust Virus, by Ron J. (aka Roy K.), though not SA literature, unwittingly provides a perceptive rationale for SA's concept of sobriety and emphasis on lust recovery by showing how today’s orientation quandary is tied in with the "new lust" and evolving cultural forces shaping all our sexualities.
In their adherence to the 12 Traditions adapted from AA, other S groups do not offer an opinion on SA, or indeed on "any outside enterprise." Other S Groups also tend to base their own programs squarely on AA's disease-concept; for example, they forego use of the term "lust" in describing sex addiction just as AA forgoes use of the terms "intemperance" and "gluttony" to describe alcoholism. SAA and SCA use slight modifications of the widely accepted term "compulsive sexual behavior" in use by the medical and psychology establishments.
Modern sexologists sometimes encourage the use of pornography and masturbation in order to explore and express one's own sexuality.
Twelve-step program
A Twelve-Step Program is a set of guiding principles outlining a course of action for recovery from addiction, compulsion, or other behavioral problems...
s for hypersexuality
Hypersexuality
Hypersexuality is extremely frequent or suddenly increased sexual urges or sexual activity. Hypersexuality is typically associated with lowered sexual inhibitions. Although hypersexuality can be caused by some medical conditions or medications, in most cases the cause is unknown...
based on the original Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
. SA takes its place among various 12-step groups that seek recovery from sexual addiction: Sex Addicts Anonymous
Sex Addicts Anonymous
Sex Addicts Anonymous is an organization that describes itself as providing a twelve-step program for recovery from what it calls sex addiction. SAA was founded in 1977 by several men who wanted a greater sense of anonymity than what they perceived in other twelve step programs for sex addicts...
, Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous is a twelve-step program for people recovering from what they call sex addiction and love addiction. SLAA was founded in Boston, Massachusetts in 1976, by a member of Alcoholics Anonymous . Though he had been a member of AA for many years, he repeatedly acted out and...
, Sexual Compulsives Anonymous
Sexual Compulsives Anonymous
Sexual Compulsives Anonymous is an organization that describes itself as providing a twelve-step program for recovery from what it terms sexual compulsion. SCA's founding is attributed variously to 1982 in New York City and to 1973 in Los Angeles...
and Sexual Recovery Anonymous. Collectively these groups are referred to as "S" groups since all their acronyms begin with that letter: SA, SAA, SLAA, SCA, SRA.
SA helps recovering "sexaholics." According to the group, a sexaholic is someone for whom "lust
Lust
Lust is an emotional force that is directly associated with the thinking or fantasizing about one's desire, usually in a sexual way.-Etymology:The word lust is phonetically similar to the ancient Roman lustrum, which literally meant "purification"...
has become an addiction." Thus SA distinguishes itself from other S groups by defining sexual sobriety
Sobriety
Sobriety is the condition of not having any measurable levels, or effects from, alcohol or other drugs that alter ones mood or behaviors. According to WHO "Lexicon of alcohol and drug terms..." sobriety is continued abstinence from alcohol and psychoactive drug use...
as no sex with self or with partners other than with one's partner in a marriage between a man and a woman.
"In defining sobriety, we do not speak for those outside Sexaholics Anonymous. We can only speak for ourselves. Thus, for the married sexaholic, sexual sobriety means having no form of sex with self or with persons other than the spouse. For the unmarried sexaholic, sexual sobriety means freedom from sex of any kind. And for all of us, single and married alike, sexual sobriety also includes progressive victory over lust. In SA’s sobriety definition, the term “spouse” refers to one’s partner in a marriage between a man and a woman."
The group uses the book "Sexaholics Anonymous" (often referred to as "The White Book") as a guide. The book explains that "the sexaholic has taken himself or herself out of the whole context of what is right or wrong. He or she has lost control, no longer has the power of choice, and is not free to stop."
History
Sexaholics Anonymous sprang from the Alcoholics Anonymous Program, and was founded by Roy Kuljian (known as Roy K.) SA received permission from AA to use its Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions in 1979.On July 9, 1999 in Cleveland the SA leadership unanimously voted (9-0) to clarify the definition of "spouse" to be "one's partner in a marriage between a man and a woman." This is known as the Cleveland Clarification. However, homosexual sexaholics aren't excluded from participation in SA and some homosexual SA groups have been formed under the traditional AA name of "Live and Let Live."
Roy Kuljian, the founder of SA, died from cancer on the afternoon of September 15, 2009. He had been sexually sober since January 31, 1976.
Literature
SA fully accepts and unabashedly encourages all AA General Conference-approved literature for use in SA meetings. Some SA groups will refer to AA literature more often than to their own SA texts. SA seeks to be somewhat of a replica of AA, applying all of AA's principles to lust and sexual addiction. In this sense, SA differentiates itself from other S-groups in having a more AA-style type of sobriety and view of relapses and thus the strictest kind of sobriety definition.The official list of fellowship-approved literature is available here.
Books
- Sexaholics Anonymous (the "White Book") (also available on CD)
- Recovery Continues (also available on CD)
- Best of Essay, Practical Recovery Tools, 1994–2003
- Step into Action: One, Two, Three
- Step into Action: Four, Five, Six, Seven
- Step Into Action: Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, and Twelve
- Member Stories 1989
- Member Stories 2007
- SA Service Manual
Booklets
- Best of Essay volume 1, Member Stories (2001)
- Best of Essay volume 2, Practical Recovery Tools (2001)
- Discovering the Principles
- Beginnings... Notes on the Early Growth and Origin of SA
Pamphlets
- SA Brochure
- SA to the Newcomer
- Why Stop Lusting?
- SA as a Resource for the Health & Helping Professional
- First Step Inventory
- Practical Guidelines for Group Recovery
- The SA Correctional Facilities Committee
- Do You Have a Problem with Pornography or Lust on the Internet?
Proponents
Because SA's sobriety definition has clear roots in Western and Eastern morality, the movement has a great appeal to Christians, that is, Protestants, Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholics, religious Jews, as well as Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and other mainstream religions. The New Testament gospels record Jesus Christ as teaching that lust is a sin "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to desire her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.", and numerous verses in the BibleBible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
clearly forbid extramarital, adulterous and promiscuous sex. The Noble Eightfold Path
Noble Eightfold Path
The Noble Eightfold Path , is one of the principal teachings of the Buddha, who described it as the way leading to the cessation of suffering and the achievement of self-awakening. It is used to develop insight into the true nature of phenomena and to eradicate greed, hatred, and delusion...
taught by Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
, prohibits sexual misconduct.
Criticism
A psychologist involved in sexual addiction treatment, Patrick CarnesPatrick Carnes
Patrick Carnes, PhD, is an expert in the field of sexual addiction in the United States.Carnes is currently the Executive Director of the Gentle Path program at Pine Grove Behavioral Center in Hattiesburg, Mississippi....
, encourages self-defined sobriety in his writings, saying that a no-masturbation definition of sobriety is only appropriate for some sex addicts and that bottom lines can in fact be modified over time. Joe Kort criticizes SA for its pro-heterosexual marriage stance.
The book Lust Virus, by Ron J. (aka Roy K.), though not SA literature, unwittingly provides a perceptive rationale for SA's concept of sobriety and emphasis on lust recovery by showing how today’s orientation quandary is tied in with the "new lust" and evolving cultural forces shaping all our sexualities.
In their adherence to the 12 Traditions adapted from AA, other S groups do not offer an opinion on SA, or indeed on "any outside enterprise." Other S Groups also tend to base their own programs squarely on AA's disease-concept; for example, they forego use of the term "lust" in describing sex addiction just as AA forgoes use of the terms "intemperance" and "gluttony" to describe alcoholism. SAA and SCA use slight modifications of the widely accepted term "compulsive sexual behavior" in use by the medical and psychology establishments.
Modern sexologists sometimes encourage the use of pornography and masturbation in order to explore and express one's own sexuality.
See also
- HypersexualityHypersexualityHypersexuality is extremely frequent or suddenly increased sexual urges or sexual activity. Hypersexuality is typically associated with lowered sexual inhibitions. Although hypersexuality can be caused by some medical conditions or medications, in most cases the cause is unknown...
- List of twelve-step groups
- Sex Addicts AnonymousSex Addicts AnonymousSex Addicts Anonymous is an organization that describes itself as providing a twelve-step program for recovery from what it calls sex addiction. SAA was founded in 1977 by several men who wanted a greater sense of anonymity than what they perceived in other twelve step programs for sex addicts...
- Sex and Love Addicts AnonymousSex and Love Addicts AnonymousSex and Love Addicts Anonymous is a twelve-step program for people recovering from what they call sex addiction and love addiction. SLAA was founded in Boston, Massachusetts in 1976, by a member of Alcoholics Anonymous . Though he had been a member of AA for many years, he repeatedly acted out and...
- Sexual Compulsives AnonymousSexual Compulsives AnonymousSexual Compulsives Anonymous is an organization that describes itself as providing a twelve-step program for recovery from what it terms sexual compulsion. SCA's founding is attributed variously to 1982 in New York City and to 1973 in Los Angeles...