Essay about Critical Book Review

Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, Good Wives Image and Reality in the Lives of Women in Northern New England 1650-1750 (New York: Oxford University Press, 1983)

Most people tend to assume that sexual addiction is a problem that is only seen in men, but on the contrary evidence suggest otherwise. In fact, all addictions, whether mild or sever are pretty much equal opportunity diseases that can affect anyone. In the book, No Stones: Women Redeemed from Sexual Shame by Marnie Ferree, Ferree shares her personal experience as a sex addict as well as personal stories and statements by other women with their struggles with sexual addiction. Ferree addresses the issues of how sexual addiction affects thousands of women, including Christian women. Most of these women could be one’s neighbor, a bible school teacher, or even one’s best friend. According to Ferree 2010, our culture seem to accept and praise the

This critical review will attempt to summarize the book “Healing the Wounds of Sexual Addiction” written by, Dr. Mark R. Laaser. Highlighting all the central themes and giving an in-depth analysis of Dr. Laaser’s work on the subject of sexual addiction. It will give his perspective and evidence to support it from the book and other sources. In this review you will find that

There are three levels to sexual addiction as described by Carnes in “Out of the Shadows”. The three levels are as follows:

Sexual addiction is a disorder not yet fully recognized by many institutions, including the DSM, as a legitimate and separate entity of addiction apart from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. However, there is growing data and push for the acceptance of the sex addiction diagnosis as the assumptions about such persons slough off and the pain in their lives becomes evident. Often, those who admit to sexual addiction are thought to simply be removing responsibility for cheating on their spouse or making generally undesirable sexual choices; many see “sex addicts” as simply undisciplined and immoral men. In reality, those struggling with sex addiction, as in all addiction, experience compulsions to experience

This critical review will attempt to summarize the book “Healing the Wounds of Sexual Addiction” written by, Dr. Mark R. Laaser, highlighting all the central themes and giving an in-depth analysis of Dr. Laaser’s work on the subject of sexual addiction. It will give his perspective and evidence to support it from the book and other sources. In this review, you will find that Dr. Laaser has added valuable insight to the subject on a personal level. It will also show how Dr. Laaser’s faith comes into play, being that the book is written from a Christian point of view using a Biblical worldview. This review will show that the book can and should be used by lay and professionals alike when dealing with those who suffer from the pain and sin of sexual addiction.

Sexual addiction is a complex disorder that has received a lot of attention in the past couple of years, largely due to celebrities who sought treatment for it after their extra-marital affairs were exposed. Many people assume that a sexual addiction involves an out-of-control drive to have sex (i.e. intercourse or oral sex) with a variety of different partners. While this may be true in many cases, there are actually many different types of sex addiction. In other words, this particular addiction can manifest in a variety of ways besides what most would deem “traditional” sexual activity. This is one of the things that sets sexual addiction apart from addictions like alcoholism and

In this article is talks about how people act and feel with sex addiction. It gives examples of therapists and how their treatment works. In the beginning of the article it talks about a man who is addicted to sex. The man talks about how he would hire prostitutes and seduce women and have group sex with strangers while he had a girlfriend. Peter also states that he used women just like he would drugs, one was never enough. Later peter saw that he needed help, so he entered a recovery program.

Sex is a beautiful thing that happens between two people, but sometimes sex can become addictive, and like with any other addiction, it can ruin lives. Patricia is in her mid-thirties, and to those who know her, she is a soccer mom with a successful career. But after her marriage ended due to her husband’s affair, Patricia became insecure, and started exploring dating sites on the internet – soon, Patricia was going on dates, sex dates - and in an interview with the Philadelphia Weekly, she admits that she is addicted to sex, and there is a problem. The American Psychiatric Association and Diagnostic (APAD) and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) don’t recognize the abuse of sex as an addiction. Although not recognize as

John Woods, a child therapist, worked on a case with a 13 year old boy named Andrew who was referred to his clinic because he was abusing his five-year-old half-sister. During the therapy treatment, it was found that Andrew had been constantly viewing pornography for two years and he had “built up a complex fantasy world” and he wanted to try to involve his half-sister in what he was watching on his computer. Woods went on to explain, “Without virtual pornography, it’s my belief that Andrew would not have acquired his compulsion to abuse, let alone dreamt up the idea of involving his sister” (Woods 2012). In Andrew’s case, his addiction to pornography affected his relationship with his family, but in multiple cases, viewing pornography can bring up issues into one’s relationship with their significant other.

Sex addicts are usually addicted to pornography, masturbation, visiting prostitutes or using chat lines for sexual reasons (Elizabeth Hartney, 2013). The author for the article “The truth about sex addition” feels that sex addition is a real addition, only when the person cannot control them self when it comes to sex. This article also feels it is not an addition when it is an excuse to watch porn or to get sex all the time. 3 to 6 percent of adults are estimated to become a sex addict (Cloud, 2011).

Everyday in America, more people become addicted to sex. According to the National Association of Sexual Addiction Problems, “1 out of 17 people are addicted to sex.” Many people become addicted to it and do not even know it. “Sexual addiction is a progressive intimacy disorder characterized by compulsive sexual

Dr. Laaser (2004) provides a detailed look into sexual addiction from a Christian viewpoint in Healing Wounds of Sexual Addiction. The focus of this assignment will be to gain knowledge of what sexual addiction is, how family dynamics are affected, treatment of sexual addiction, and lastly addressing sexual addiction in the church. Exploring the different areas of how sexual addiction and how it can affect the life of the addicted individual will be assessed. Sexual addiction is a sin that Dr. Laaser (2004) discusses in his work. Healing Wounds of Sexual Addiction examines the many areas of the addicted person’s life

Before one can begin to understand the complexities of sexual addiction it must be adequately defined. The National Council on Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity has defined sexual addiction as “engaging in persistent and escalating patterns of sexual behavior acted out despite increasing negative consequences to self and others.” (Herkov) It is important to note that this means that sexual addiction isn’t just the desire to have sex more than normal but also that the addict engages in activities regardless of and consequences. The addict must also escalate their behaviors over a period of time in order to be considered an addict. This doesn’t mean escalating it to illegal actions but merely increasing the rate at which they engage in the

Prior to the death of Mr. Collins father, his consumption of Internet pornography and sexual chatting was not considered remarkable. He appeared to be able to function sexually while masturbating and during sexual intercourse with the partners in his life prior to this life-altering event. Mr. Collins expressed a relatively normal desire for sexual contact as a teenager as well as desire to couple with partners his age in traditional ways, but after the death of his father, what normally produced the arousal necessary to ejaculate while masturbating and having sexual intercourse, no longer appears to have had the desired effect. It is at this time that it appears that the symptoms of depression began to manifest in Mr. Collins life, depressed mood, decreased interest or pleasure, change in sleep, change in activity, and concentration. As these symptoms manifested, it appears that the indicators of Hypersexual Disorder began to develop; excessive masturbation, obsessing about sex to the point that it interfered with his life, spending significant time planning their sexual activity, frequent viewing of pornography or use of sexually explicit websites or other online services including adult chat rooms, frequent one-night stands with strangers, staying emotionally detached from sexual partners, frequently engaging in paraphilias, and inability to stop despite the consequences.