Does this election year stoke your anxiety? So many people I see discuss their powerlessness and sense of hopelessness as they consider the future of the country. Did you know that it’s normal to worry about things that seem uncertain? It is adaptive behavior because we are wired to appraise whether or not a situation is potentially harmful to us. It is our natural defense mechanisms kicking in. However, sometimes this natural tendency can move into rumination and possibly pathological anxiety. Certainly talking about this with someone who is trained to help you self regulate is helpful. I teach clients frequently how to identify the common thinking distortions that keep them on the proverbial gerbil wheel in the head. Learning to exercise spiritual practices also are very beneficial. Some people have utilized spiritual readings and quotes to help mitigate their anxiety. Developing a realistic appraisal of an event is critical in managing your anxiety.
What does alcohol have to do with Sex Addiction, you ask? In the early 1900’s, alcoholism was seen as a moral problem. The belief by many of the religiously conservative during the temperance movement was that if alcoholics would just stop drinking and become a godlier man or woman there wouldn’t be a need for the drink. Today, Sex Addiction is often viewed as alcoholism was 100 years ago, as a moral problem. However, with the advance of brain science and imaging, it is an established fact that the same pleasure pathways in the brain that are stimulated through sexual acting out are the same pathways of addiction regardless of the substance or process an individual engages in.