If you know it but he doesn't want to admit it, don't give up. You can get through to him

You know that your husband or boyfriend has a sex addiction. But does he know? If he doesn't want to accept that he's sexually addicted, what can you do? Even if he's accepted that he has a problem, is he willing to stop? How can you help him stop?

Let's answer these questions one by one. If you realize that your partner is addicted to sex either through addictive masturbation, compulsive use of porn, a fetish, phone sex or infidelity, but he doesn't want to accept it, here's what to do:

Start by getting him to take the Sexual Addiction Interview and the first interview in The Most Personal Addiction. These interviews are designed to help the most defensive sex addict realize what sex addiction is and how it's affecting him and you.

Here are a few more pointers about what the partner can do to help her husband or boyfriend get control over sexual addiction:

• Don't take on his burden. The job of overcoming the addiction is his, not yours.
• Be realistic. Some sexual addictions can be overcome relatively quickly. Others take time.
• Give him credit for his successes.
• Don't take the blame for his sex addiction. Many times the partner's first reaction when discovering a sexual addiction is, "What's wrong with me? Why doesn't he want to be with me? Why does he want them instead of me?" You did not cause his sexually addictive behavior. He caused it.
• Download the first 48 chapters of The Most Personal Addiction. There's a special section on how to save a relationship threatened by sexual addiction. Look in the right hand column on this page for the Download/Print option

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