Assessment and treatment of addictive sexual disorders: relevance for chemical dependency relapse.

Despite some skepticism about the existence of sexual addiction, the addiction model has proven very useful for treating compulsive sexual behaviors. Addictive sexual disorders often coexist with chemical dependency and are a frequently unrecognized cause of chemical dependency relapse. Sex addiction also contributes significantly to the spread of HIV disease. This paper reviews the differential diagnosis of addictive sexual disorders, their assessment. their treatment, and their interaction with chemical dependency, and provides information about 12-step (mutual-help) resources.