No, I am not a therapist. Sorry, I did not state my source.

'Escape From Intimacy' by Anne Wilson Schaef, (c) 1989.
This book discusses untangling the "love" addictions; sex, romance, and relationships.

Anne Wilson Schaef also wrote 'Co-Dependence: Misunderstood, Mistreated', 'When Society Becomes an Addict' and 'The Addictive Organization'.

She references Patrick Carnes, Out of the Shadows: Understanding Sexual Addiction, (c) 1985 as a source of information.

She states that "in order for recovery to proceed, we must treat the separate addictions and the underlying addictive process. We must see how these addictions are separate and how they interact."

"These addictions are extremely difficult and painful to confront because they use the very skills we have learned for approaching intimacy and relationships to avoid intimacy and relationships."

Patrick Carnes says, "What makes the sexual addict different is that he [sic] draws upon the human emotions generated by courtship and passion." The skills may be the same, but the way they are used is different.

Anne Wilson Schaef says, "In order to recover from these addictions, one must have ongoing support." Another reference by the author is the book, 'Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous' (Boston: The Augustine Fellowship Press, 1986). There is an online support group for this organization (SLAA).