Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous

Graphics courtesy of The New York TimesOpens in new window Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (abbreviated SLAA) is a 12-step fellowship, modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)Opens in new window, of people who suffer from a compulsive need for sex or who have a desperate attachment to another person. When sexual or emotional obsessive-compulsive patterns exist, relationships or sexual activities can become increasingly destructive to career, family, and a person’s sense of self-respect.

SLAA membersOpens in new window seek to recover from the destructive consequences of addictive behaviors related to sex addiction, love addiction, dependency on romantic attachments, emotional dependency, and sexual, social and emotional anorexia.

To counter the destructive consequences of addictive behaviors, SLAA members draw on five major resources:

1. sobriety (willingness to stop acting out with addictive behavior on a daily basis),
2. sponsorship and meetings,
3. practicing the 12-step program of SLAA,
4. service (giving back to the SLAA community), and
5. spirituality (developing a relationship with a higher power).

The 12 Steps of SLAA are modeled after the 12 Steps of AA. As with other 12-step programs, SLAA emphasizes that its program is spiritual, not religious. SLAA does not religious. SLAA does not have opinions on issues outside of SLAA (e.g., religion, politics), nor is SLAA affiliated with any outside organizations.

SLAA espouses the principle of anonymity of members at the public level and emphasizes the need for confidentiality. The SLAA fellowship is self-supporting through voluntary member contributions.

Other 12-step programs designed to help people recover from sexual compulsions or addictions include Sex Addicts Anonymous, Sexaholics Anonymous, Sexual Compulsives Anonymous (SCA), and Sexual Recovery Anonymous (SRA).

Programs intended for family or friends of sex addicts (codependents) include Codependents of Sexual Addiction, Co-Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous, Love Addicts Anonymous, S-Anon International Family Groups (S-Anon & S-A teen), SCA-Anon, and SRA – Anon.