What is SCA and when did it start?
Sexual Compulsives Anonymous is a 12-step recovery program that was created for individuals who want to stop engaging in compulsive sexual activity. It is not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous, but it utilizes the same concept as any other 12 step and 12 tradition program. In the fellowshipThis refers to the members of AA and the bonds of support between them. It is this fellowship that allows addicts to share their stories and accept each other in a world that is not always understanding., sexual compulsion is viewed as an illness. It is a diseaseSome refer to addiction as a disease, comparing it to physical ailments. There are similarities, as both have a detrimental influence on body and soul and are treatable through medical means., just as alcoholism or drugA name for a wide variety of chemical substances capable of altering the function of your mind and body in significant ways. These can include over the counter prescriptions, alcohol, and controlled substances. Most drugs are either physically and/or psychologically habit-forming. addiction is, and will only continue to get progressively worse until it is arrested.
Although not much is known about the history of Sexual Compulsives Anonymous, its founding is attributed to Los Angeles in 1973 and New York City in 1982. The programThis refers to any official course of treatment for addiction. This could be anything from in-patient facilities, to 12-step programs to harm-reduction programs. was originally founded for bisexual and gay men to address their issues with sexual compulsion, but as since then grown when it comes to men and women joining the group. While the program still primarily focuses on helping these sexual orientations, it is now open and welcoming to people of all sexual orientations. As long as they share the same desire to stop having compulsive sex, all individuals are welcome.
The fellowship has literature for its existing and new members. Some of the literature includes “Sexual Compulsives Anonymous: A Program of RecoveryThe process by which addicts attempt to break the hold a certain substance or behavior has on their lives. This can refer to participation in a wide variety of methods. What they all have in common, is a sense that life is improving and the addict is regaining control.,” “Moving Through WithdrawalWhen the body gets acclimatized to some habit-forming substances, there can be adverse consequences when they are not consumed regularly. The unpleasant feelings associated with cessation of consumption are notably severe regarding heroin and alcohol. They can even be fatal without the provision of ...,” and more. The program also publishes its own newsletter, “The SCAnner,” which can be found online and encourages members to submit their stories of recovery or any other sort of contribution they feel comfortable with.
How does SCA work?
Because sexual compulsion is considered an illness, it can cause physical, emotional and spiritual problems. Just as a drug addictAn individual with an unhealthy dependence on a substance or behavior. An individual remains an addict even years into recovery and must therefore remain active in recovery. Read more about drug & alcohol addiction & withdrawal at Withdrawal Info. experiences a high when using, a sexually compulsive individual can experience a “high” as well when acting out these behaviors. Physical problems can include acting out unhealthy behaviors or winding up in legal trouble and spiritual problems include feeling disconnected from others.
In the program, the first step encourages members to admit they are powerless over their sexual compulsion and that their lives have become unmanageable. Once individuals realize and recognize that they have a problem, they are able to begin working the 12 steps and start the recovery process. Attending SCA meetings is the most important part of the program, but obtaining a sponsorAn individual in a 12-step program requires a sponsor to help them work the steps and hold them accountable for their recovery. The sponsor should be readily available when help is needed. A member with a sponsor is considered to be the sponsee. is one of the best ways to thoroughly work and understand the steps.
A sponsor is a longtime member of the fellowship who has previously worked the steps or is actively doing so. These individuals can help members learn more about how the program works, how to abstain from sexually compulsive behaviorsThese are behaviors in engaging in due to a strong urge to do so. Compulsion may be difficult to control but is mostly manageable. If compulsion turns into addiction, the problem becomes more severe. and can offer what tools of recovery worked for them. While sponsors are not doctors or therapists, they can do their best to guide members through the program, as they have been in their shoes once before. A sponsor can also help individuals create the framework for a sexual recovery plan, which is an important part of the process.
In Sexual Compulsives Anonymous, a sexual recovery plan is a guide developed by each individual to lay out healthy forms of sexual expression. It’s important for members to identify their own definition of sexual sobrietyIn 12-step programs, an individual is sober when they are no longer partaking in the behavior or substance to which they are addicted and living a better life following the program. Both are necessary to achieve sobriety., since everyone is different when it comes to their degrees of sexual compulsion. Developing a sexual recovery plan that isn’t too demanding will help keep individuals out of legal trouble and engaging in healthy sexual practices.
Modeled after the recovery plan used in Overeaters Anonymous, the plan for sexual recovery focuses on three main categories: abstinenceThe act of not partaking in the substance or activity to which a member is addicted. The length of sobriety of addicts is determined following the period of abstinence., high-risk behaviors and recovery. In the abstinence column, members are to write what behaviors they need to be free from completely with the help from a higher power12-step programs greatly stress surrender to and daily communication with a Higher Power. Having trust in something greater than yourself is considered essential for returning sanity in the unmanageable life of an addict. This can be a traditional deity, a spiritual entity or a social one such as th.... In the high-risk behaviors column, members can identify situations and feelings that will make them vulnerable to a relapseRelapse in the context of 12-step programs refers to the act of reverting to harmful behaviors associated with addiction after a period of recovery. This return to substance use or compulsive behavior disrupts the recovery process and often leads to a resurgence of destructive patterns that the indi.... The recovery column is last and it focuses on positive behaviors and feelings that will improve their wellbeing and meet their needs in healthy ways.
Why does SCA Work?
Because the disease of sexual compulsion will only get worse over time, it is something that cannot be addressed on willpower alone. While many members have found that they were able to find abstinence for short periods of time, eventually, they give into their cravings and succumb to their compulsion once again. In Sexual Compulsives Anonymous, individuals can build a strong support system and network and understand that they are never alone.
Before joining the fellowship, many members felt like there was nobody who understood what they were going through and felt like they had to isolate themselves with their own guilt and shameFeelings of shame and inadequacy often contribute both to the onset of addiction and its continuation. Addicts also often commit immoral acts, leading to further shame. This leads to a destructive shame-addiction cycle. Breaking the cycle is one of the keys to recovery.. Even though everyone has their own story in the program, each individual shares some characteristics that can help them realize that there are others like them who have recovered from this disease.
Common characteristics of sexually compulsive individuals can include:
- Being drawn to people who are not available to you or who reject and abuse you
- Compartmentalizing sex instead of intregrating it into your life as a healthy element
- Using sex to feel validated due to lack of self esteem
- Becoming addicted to people and being unable to recognize the difference between sex, love and affection
- Even when receiving love from another person, it is never enough and you are unable to stop lusting after other people
Sexual Compulsives Anonymous gives its members the opportunity to free themselves from their obsession with sex and romance. Although many members once had a fear of other people, the fellowship provides them with the knowledge of identifying the differences between sex, love and affection. After members begin to work the steps of the program, they will be able to start loving themselves and become more relaxed instead of seeming desperate and needy to others. Once individuals obtain sexual sobriety, they will be able to find meaning in their lives, whether or not they are in a relationship and take responsibility for their lives and actions rather than seeing themselves as victims.
Frequently Asked Questions about SCA
Does SCA cost money?
There are no dues or fees for membership to the program of Sexual Compulsives Anonymous. The only requirement for membership is the desire to stop having compulsive sex. The group is self-supporting through their own contributions, so outside donations are never accepted. If a memberAn individual who attends 12-step program meetings and has the desire to overcome addiction. is willing to give what they can, when they can, it can be done so during a meeting or through the purchase of literature on the website, but monetary donations are never required from any member.
Where can I find a SCA meeting?
Face-to-face meetings for Sexual Compulsives Anonymous are still available and can be found through the meeting directory on the official website. For members who are unable to find or attend a physical meeting, there are virtual Zoom meetings available, as well as telephone meetings. For individuals living outside the areas of the available Zoom meetings, there is a list of online intergroup meetings available as well. All meetings can be found here.
Is SCA religious?
The program of Sexual Compulsives Anonymous is not religious in any way, shape or form. Although members are asked to find a higher power greater than themselves, this concept is unique to each individual in the fellowship. The integration of a higher power helps members realize that they are not the higher power; they, alone, cannot free themselves from their addiction. Whatever concept of a higher power is found is accepted in the program and never receives judgement from anyone else.
What are the 12 steps of SCA?
With permission from Alcoholics AnonymousThe original 12-step fellowship, formed in 1935, to help alcoholics, regain control over their lives. It remains the largest 12-step organization and has contributed to the sobriety of millions worldwide. Read more about Alcoholics Anonymous, Sexual Compulsives Anonymous has adapted the 12 stepsThe term "12 steps" refers to the core principles of the approach to addiction exemplified by Alcoholics Anonymous and other similar groups. The 12 steps are a set of guidelines designed to help individuals overcome addiction and rebuild their lives. They were created by the founders of Alcoholics A... to help its members recover from sexual compulsion.
1. We admitted we were powerless over sexual compulsion — that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventoryStep 4 recommends the addict conduct “a searching and fearless moral inventory.” This involves coming to terms with the flaws which preceded addiction and those that came as a result of it. of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory, and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contactBuilding a relationship with a Higher Power is a crucial element in recovery. This involves conscious contact with a Higher Power through prayer and meditation regularly. with God as we understood God, praying only for knowledge of God’s will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to sexually compulsive people and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
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