If you’ve read our post What Is Sex Addiction, you know that there is a difference between healthy sexuality and sex addiction. But sometimes when you’re in the thick of it, it can be hard to know whether you need to seek professional help.

Quitting Cold Turkey Doesn’t Eliminate the Addiction Cycle

You may be able to temporarily stop your sexual behavior but that doesn’t mean it’s not an addiction. Sex and food are similar in that they’re both positive parts of our lives that can add pleasure, value, and adventure but they can also cause some issues, especially if we have underlying trauma or pain. When it comes to food addictions, you might see a lack of control or an obsession around food.

The truth is, addiction—whether that’s sex addiction, food addiction, alcohol addiction— is a vicious cycle perpetuated by guilt and that self-loathing feeling known as shame. If you don’t get to the heart of the addictive cycle, you won’t find lasting freedom from the mindset that drove you there in the first place.

Using the Sexual Addiction Screening Test

If you think you or a loved one might be struggling with sexual addiction, check out the Sexual Addiction Screening Test (SAST) provided by IITAP, the leading organization in the treatment of sex addiction. Asking for help is the first step.

The SAST consists of 52 questions. It’s completely free and completely confidential. You don’t have to give IITAP your email in order to get results. Simply go through the questions, answer honestly, and see how your score compares to other people.

It’s hard to be honest about your sexual behavior. But at this point, you might already be facing the loss of your job, marriage, health, or financial instability. In just a few minutes, you can take a concrete step toward healing. This is a great starting point.

Working with a Professional to Interpret Your Results

The SAST is not meant to be the end of the road. The idea is to provide a simple online assessment so you can decide whether to seek help from a professional.

If your SAST results do recommend getting help, Integrity Counseling Group is here for you. Three of our therapists have received training from IITAP. Two are Certified Sex Addiction Therapists (CSATs) and one is an Associate Sex Addiction Therapist (ASAT). All of us are rooting for your success.

To become a CSAT, therapists attend four 4.5-day post-doctorate level training modules, receive 30 hours of clinical supervision, and complete 15 continuing education hours every two years. A CSAT has the knowledge and experience to effectively address sexual addiction in your life. In fact, our approach has an astounding 97% success rate when clients make it halfway through the program.

Our approach has an astounding 97% success rate when clients make it halfway through the program.

Take the SAST, Then Contact Us

Go ahead and take the SAST. Take a screenshot of your results, or write down the score. Then schedule an appointment with one of our therapists to go over your results. You can reach us at (760) 283-7000. If it does look like you are struggling with sex addiction, we can talk more in-depth about what to do next.