title: Sex therapy for recovering alcoholics: an essential part of family therapy.
abstract: Sexuality and alcoholism have been linked since Shakespeare's time, but various studies have pointed out that there is no simple, direct relationship between the pharmacological effect of alcohol and its behavioral consequences. Sexual dysfunction in the recovering alcoholic may be due to the depressant effect of the alcohol itself, to alcohol related disease, to other drug usage, or to a multitude of psychological forces. Learning to deal with one's sexuality can be an important initial step in creating a new, more confident self who can cope in a chemical-free world. As well, the effects of alcoholism on the whole family and the importance of family support during recovery are major reasons why sexuality needs to be addressed directly and sex therapy offered as part of the recovery process. Sex should be viewed as one more aspect of communication which may need improvement.
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012736:Sex Education; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000534:rehabilitation*