When betrayed partners of sex addicts think about the ways in which their loved one is being compulsively sexual, they usually think about sex outside the primary relationship. And often that is the way in which compulsive sexuality manifests. That said, sex addicts can also be sexually compulsive within their primary relationship, sexualizing their spouse/partner the same as they sexualize porn actors, prostitutes, hookups, and the like. This realization can be incredibly disconcerting for the betrayed partner.
Therapist Michelle Mays has written an excellent series of blogs on this topic, posting them on her PartnerHope.com website. With her permission, we’re providing you with links to her two-part blog, “When You Become an Acting Out Partner But Don’t Know It.” These posts (and others we’ll link to in the coming weeks) are highly recommended reading for all betrayed spouses and partners of sex addicts.