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PREFACE

Preface

I created this ebook because sexual addiction is not yet recognized in the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). The DSM-5 is essentially a classification and diagnostic tool for health care providers. The APA’s reasoning? We need more research to prove that it is an addiction. There is an organization out there that is doing just that.

The American Foundation for Addiction Research (AFAR) was created by Dr. Patrick Carnes. It exemplifies personal, social, and professional responsibilities; globally encompassing all disciplines and addictions through a collective partnership between science, clinicians, public policy, and the recovery community. AFAR continues to be a catalyst of social change, promoting dignity, integrity, and service to others. I have long wanted to contribute to AFAR in a meaningful way and I knew my listeners “know” that sex addiction is real and they would want to help AFAR too. I decided to use the transcripts from my Carol the Coach radio show to create a book where all the proceeds could benefit AFAR. I have cherished bringing you the experts in this field through my radio show and now I hope you will enjoy reading their theories and experiences.

For our first edition of this ebook, I have selected a group of experts I consider “masters” who have contributed significantly to the field and made a positive difference in the lives of so many people affected by sexual addiction. I hope each chapter will share information that will help you better understand this disorder.

I want you to walk away from this book with a better sense of yourself and what tools and resources are out there to support you and your recovery. If you are a partner of a sex addict, please know that there is specialized help for you too.

Every time I interview a guest, I learn so much and feel so blessed to share it with my listeners. Now we can pay it forward by helping the field get the recognition it deserves by legitimizing a very real problem that many still believe is “a lack of moral character.”

I want to thank each “master” who agreed to do the show and then allowed us to use the transcript to support AFAR. I want to also thank Corrine Casanova, the senior editor for Gentle Path Press, for her insight and wisdom. Her compassion and helpfulness was instrumental in the writing of this book. I also want to thank Kim Cook, who has transcribed every show and was my “go-to girl” in getting this book formatted. She has encouraged me every step of the way!

And most important, I want to thank the thousands of listeners who open these podcasts religiously and send me emails letting me know that I have been instrumental in changing their lives. And that is exactly why I wanted to do this show and use it to create this ebook. I want your lives to be better and I want you all to find hope, strength, and recovery so that you can create the life you deserve!

Carol the Coach