Recovering from Sexual Abuse, Addictions, and Compulsive Behaviors

by Carlton Munson, Sandra L. Knauer

Explore the connection between sexual victimization, addiction, and compulsive behaviors!This book demonstrates clearly what lengths survivors of sexual abuse will go to in attempting to avoid dealing with the pain resulting from their sexual abuse. Anyone who has been sexually abused is likely to have one of the addictions or compulsive behaviors described herein. The information in Recovering from Sexual Abuse, Addictions, and Compulsive Behaviors regarding codependency is especially useful to survivors of sexual abuse who now find themselves in abusive relationships. Survivors of abuse who have gone without treatment sometimes become either sexual perpetrators or sexual addicts and may experience many different types of psychological dysfunction. Recovering from Sexual Abuse, Addictions, and Compulsive Behaviors examines issues that survivors often have Recovering from Sexual Abuse, Addictions, and Compulsive Behaviors is more than a litany of the problems that survivors face. This valuable work will show With its complete bibliography and up-to-date information on sexual abuse, addictions, and compulsive behaviors, Recovering from Sexual Abuse, Addictions, and Compulsive Behaviors will show you the full course of sexual abuse and its aftermath, bringing you from the beginnings of sexual abuse through the steps that lead to addiction and compulsion, and ultimately, recovery.

398 pages, Paperback

First published February 6, 2002

Reviews

[A.C. Bauch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book extremely helpful in fostering understanding about the ways that childhood sexual abuse affects people throughout their lives, especially in various developmental areas. Of course, reading some of the accounts was difficult, but necessary to connect the dots. In my opinion, the first part of the book was more helpful than the latter part, which deals with the recovery process. Even though the book has "recovering" in the title, that doesn't seem to be the book's primary focus, as such a small portion of the content is dedicated to it. Honestly, I think they would have been better off just addressing the effects of abuse.

Regardless, I recommend this book either for those who have survived childhood sexual abuse and want to understand how it relates to any current issues (e.g., OCD, generalized anxiety disorder, CPTSD/PTSD, ADHD, etc.), or for those who love someone who was abused and want to better understand that person's experience.