Customer Reviews

Sexual Anorexia: Overcoming Sexual Self-Hatred

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After having tried different kinds of books and therapy which mainly is focusing on the technical aspects of sex with little success or progress, I feel that this book really goes behind the technical and offers a more complete explanation as to why some people have a difficult relationship with sex.
In comparison to other books that seem to tell you that if you have difficulty with sex you must have been sexually abused as a child, this book offers a more complete analysis and makes you think of little things and details which along the way might have caused you to find sex difficult, but in an uplifting manner, saying that it is ok and that you can solve it. It also tells you that you are not the only one suffering from this fear of intimacy and that it is ok and you can do something about it.
In my opinion it is a very well written book and is worth reading for a lot of people in order to get a greater understanding of themselves and the world around them, focusing on how intimacy can be difficult and providing solutions to work through it.

This book has been very useful to me. It's written with a good deal of compassion and insight, and even though I think the authors oversimplify some issues, they manage to get near the heart of what makes sex so difficult for many people. The recommended activities are generally weak and none too useful, but that's true of most self-help books. Even the good ones.

I have only just recently begun to read this book. But already I am absolutely shocked by how on target everything it says is. As I read the pages, I find myself wondering if the author has not been observing me and taking notes. I have always held a strong fear of sexuality, and always feel guilty when I find myself watching pretty girls or getting aroused. The author's descriptions if an interior world of denial and self doubt are precisely on the mark. I have not begun to utilize any therapeutic tips offered within, but so far I am deeply impressed.

I purchased this book in hopes that it would help a friend of mine through her troubles, as she was abused in childhood and as a result she's unable to have a physical relationship with anyone.

This book seemed nice, but upon flipping through it I realized that it assumes that the reader is a man or woman in a relationship that is already having sex & doesn't find joy in it. That doesn't help my best friend, since she's NOT in a relationship with anyone and would feel left out by the book. The book wouldn't be any help for her, and ended up being a waste of my money. Why would I give her a book that isn't going to help her? Still, it did make some nice points but again... the fact that the writers are assuming that they are speaking to married or partnered men/women really alienates a large chunk of people.

EDIT:

Seriously, I ended up showing her the book & she herself echoed my own thoughts. It wasn't helpful to her. All of the exercises & suggestions were for couples. While the book looked like it would be helpful for her in some ways, the book only focused on couples. It's not helpful to a person who is going this "alone". Vote me down if you want, but this book needs to state that it is for COUPLES, not singles who are dealing with this problem.

Enables those suffering from this disorder to recognize that sex need not be a furtive enemy to be fought & defeated but, instead, a deeply sensual, passionate, fulfilling & spiritual experience that all human beings are innately entitled to.

This is a textbook about sexual anorexia, which is a condition that causes a person to fear intimacy to the point of incredible pain. It contains a plan for recovery, and certainly is a place to begin to grapple with such a sensitive and important part of life.

I am currently a substance abuse counselor student and have discovered that sexual addiction and other intimacy problems play a big role. After watching an educational video on sexual anorexia I looked for more written information. I talked with colleagues and reviewed a couple cases realizing that this information would be helpful. There is actually very little out there. There is also someone that I know personally that has been dealing with some of these issues. Carnes is a pioneer in this area and present some very compelling and useful information. Substance abuse is a complex issue. Once you remove the substances you are often left with coexisiting behaviors and issues that need to be addressed as well. This book was well written with compelling information. I highly recommend it.

Very informative, enlightening, recommended by therapist, very worthwhile information for addicts and spouses of addicts

Dr. Carnes has often implied that the co-addict plays an inportant role in identifying and treating sexual addiction. Now we see the the co-addict (and/or) sexual anorexics are very near the core of the adiction. The families dealing with the problem or the woman wondering why she is not is a relationship can see 'a reason for' and a 'way out of' tremendous emotional discomfort. Dr. Carnes, the next two books that we want to see are the; the impact on the entire family as a system and the effects of such an environment on children along with correction techniques. This book is an excellent balance to the entire sexual addiction dynamic.

I had never heard of this problem before. It is basically a detachment disorder. It is like a young neglected child that can not bond.