38: You Are Worth Recovery - Women & Sex Addiction with Amy Smith

Our guest on this episode of the Addicted Mind podcast is Amy Smith, founder of the Worth Recovery podcast, which has grown into a community of mutual support. Amy began her recovery journey in 2011 when she realized that her multiple failed “relationships” were a result of sex addiction and the notion that intimacy was nothing more than a transaction. On the very same day that she promised to do something to change her situation, her father – with whom anger had characterized her relationship – told her that he had been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.

Because women with sex addiction seem to be a taboo subject, where Amy had to overcome stigma and shame that men with the same issue would not have to deal with due to the social acceptability. At the time, she was living in Seattle, where she found a great therapist and women’s 12-step group that embraced her on her road to recovery. A couple of years later, she moved to Salt Lake City and expected to find similar resources, but she saw nothing but skepticism and discouragement. There were no meetings for women in the area, and though she eventually found the right therapist for her, she encountered many professionals and peers who told her that it was not possible for her to have a sex addiction. Amy’s sponsor kept encouraging her to see this as an opportunity, and eventually, Amy started a meeting in her home for women who grew to the point that there is now a network of support for women in Salt Lake City.

Knowing that there is healing in both hearing other people talk about their struggles and in telling others about our own, Amy decided that there might be a few other women outside of Seattle or Salt Lake City who needed to know that they are not alone in their recovery from sex addiction. She started her podcast to tell her story, hoping that it could reach 20 people outside of her region, but the podcast is averaging nearly 600 downloads per day, reinforcing the need for a community to support each other through recovery.

Amy’s parting words for anyone struggling with sex addiction (or any addiction) is to believe that you are worth recovery, and do not let anyone make you think or feel otherwise.

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