Sexual Compulsives Anonymous
Encyclopedia
Sexual Compulsives Anonymous (SCA) 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. Although the fellowship originally sought to address issues of sexual compulsion among gay and bisexual men, and this is still the fellowships predominate demographic, today the program is LGBT
friendly, open to all sexual orientations, and there is an increasing number of women and heterosexual men participating. SCA meetings are most likely to be held in urban areas with larger gay and bisexual male populations. The majority of members are white
, but vary in age and socioeconomic background. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop having compulsive sex
.
SCA supports healthy sexual expression and does not expect members to repress their sexuality, which they believe is associated with sexual anorexia
. Members are encouraged to develop their own definition of sexual sobriety that does not place unreasonable demands on their time or energy, place them in legal jeopardy, or endanger their health. SCA members incorporate their definition of sexual sobriety into what they call a sexual recovery plan. Sexual recovery plans are modeled on the work of Patrick Carnes
, a sexual addiction
researcher, based on the model for Overeaters Anonymous
(OA), whose members create individualized "food plans."
Sexual recovery plans have three columns: abstinence, high-risk, and recovery—analogous to the three circles used in Sex Addicts Anonymous
. The sexual recovery plan is used as a blueprint for recovery. The abstinence column includes "bottom-line" behaviors corresponding to relapse and from which members ask their Higher Power to be freed. The high-risk column includes behaviors, emotional states, ritualized activities, and situations that make them vulnerable to relapse. The recovery column includes positive behaviors that support their wellbeing and meet their needs in a healthy manner.
SCA developed "The Twenty Questions," an instrument allowing potential members to self-evaluate their sexual compulsivity. The results of this questionnaire correlate with symptoms of prefrontal cortex
dysfunction, an area of the brain thought to be relevant to addiction—not only to substances, but also behaviors such as sex and gambling as measured according to the (FrSBe) Frontal Systems Behavior Scale.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and to 1973 in Los Angeles. Although the fellowship originally sought to address issues of sexual compulsion among gay and bisexual men, and this is still the fellowships predominate demographic, today the program is LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
friendly, open to all sexual orientations, and there is an increasing number of women and heterosexual men participating. SCA meetings are most likely to be held in urban areas with larger gay and bisexual male populations. The majority of members are white
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
, but vary in age and socioeconomic background. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop having compulsive sex
Sex
In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...
.
Sexual recovery plans
Sexual anorexia
Sexual anorexia is a term used to describe a loss of "appetite" for romantic-sexual interaction. However, the term is used broadly and can be better defined as a fear of intimacy to the point that the person has severe anxiety surrounding sex with emotional content i.e. in an intimate relationship....
. Members are encouraged to develop their own definition of sexual sobriety that does not place unreasonable demands on their time or energy, place them in legal jeopardy, or endanger their health. SCA members incorporate their definition of sexual sobriety into what they call a sexual recovery plan. Sexual recovery plans are modeled on the work of Patrick Carnes
Patrick 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....
, a sexual addiction
Sexual addiction
Sexual addiction is a popular model to explain hypersexuality—sexual urges, behaviors, or thoughts that appear extreme in frequency or feel out of one's control...
researcher, based on the model for Overeaters Anonymous
Overeaters Anonymous
Overeaters Anonymous is a twelve-step program for people with problems related to food including, but not limited to, compulsive overeaters, those with binge eating disorder, bulimics and anorexics...
(OA), whose members create individualized "food plans."
Sexual recovery plans have three columns: abstinence, high-risk, and recovery—analogous to the three circles used in 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...
. The sexual recovery plan is used as a blueprint for recovery. The abstinence column includes "bottom-line" behaviors corresponding to relapse and from which members ask their Higher Power to be freed. The high-risk column includes behaviors, emotional states, ritualized activities, and situations that make them vulnerable to relapse. The recovery column includes positive behaviors that support their wellbeing and meet their needs in a healthy manner.
Literature and publications
SCA distributes its own literature, including the primary book used in the fellowship, Sexual Compulsives Anonymous: A Program of Recovery, and several book-length and smaller brochures and pamphlets, such as What About Masturbation?, Q&A: A Guide for Newcomers and Secret Shame. Parts of these brochures are published on the SCA website. SCA also publishes an online journal known as The SCAnner.SCA developed "The Twenty Questions," an instrument allowing potential members to self-evaluate their sexual compulsivity. The results of this questionnaire correlate with symptoms of prefrontal cortex
Prefrontal cortex
The prefrontal cortex is the anterior part of the frontal lobes of the brain, lying in front of the motor and premotor areas.This brain region has been implicated in planning complex cognitive behaviors, personality expression, decision making and moderating correct social behavior...
dysfunction, an area of the brain thought to be relevant to addiction—not only to substances, but also behaviors such as sex and gambling as measured according to the (FrSBe) Frontal Systems Behavior Scale.
Trivia
- Following her affair with Bill ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, and at the prompting of her psychologist, Monica LewinskyMonica LewinskyMonica Samille Lewinsky is an American woman with whom United States President Bill Clinton admitted to having had an "improper relationship" while she worked at the White House in 1995 and 1996...
vowed to stay celibate for one year and attended Sexual Compulsives Anonymous meetings.
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...
- Hypersexual disorderHypersexual disorderHypersexual disorder was proposed in 2010 for inclusion in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association . It is currently under consideration for inclusion in the appendix of the DSM, but not in the main list of official diagnoses...
- 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...
- Sexaholics AnonymousSexaholics AnonymousSexaholics Anonymous is one of several twelve-step programs 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...