What is Intimacy and Sexual Avoidance (ISA)
“Some of us have found ourselves ‘shut down’ sexually in recovery, afraid of sex because of its association in our minds with our addiction or with past trauma, or because of a fear of intimacy and vulnerability. Trying to control our sexuality in this way is just another symptom of our disease.” — Sex Addicts Anonymous, p. 72
The international website explains more about ISA
There are not many recordings of stories and shares on intimacy avoidance and sexual anorexia. As the fellowship grows and more people recognise and heal there will be more recordings. The following are from both men and women.
Main shares
ISA Speaker recordings
This is a link to a PDF download which lists free recordings.
Audio stories
Recordings from past SAA convention speakers about ISA.
These recordings (MP3s) are available to buy from the SAA Store.
- 1995 Intimacy in Marriage Relationships – Jan & Paul W
- 1998 Couples and Recovery: Rekindling Intimacy Bill S
- 2001 Sexual Anorexia: Defining the Problem, Consequences and Solution – Brian M & Carolyn R
- 2002 Out of Isolation Towards Intimacy Panel – Randy W & Carol M
- 2003 The Seven Facets of Intimacy – Randy E
- 2005 2005 Sunday Lunch Keynote Speaker – Dolores F
- 2009 The Recovery of Intimacy – Wharton S
- 2010 New Life: The Recovery of Intimacy – Wharton S
- 2015 Twelve Steps to Recovering Intimacy – Deb (W)
- 2016 Intimacy Avoidance – Where Do You Fall in the Spectrum? Deb W (panel)
- 2016 Working the Steps Around Intimacy and Sexual Avoidance – Deb W (panel)
- 2017 Intimacy and Sexual Avoidance (ISA)/ Sexual Anorexia – Connie B (panel)
- 2018 Working Both Sides of Recovery; Healing from Intimacy Avoidance Can Deepen Recovery from Acting Out – Deb W
- 2019 Strengthening a Foundation of Recovery – Healing from Both Acting Out and Intimacy Avoidance – Deb W
Dear Grace article
- “Dear Grace” article, “How do I, as an SAA member, know the difference between abstinence from my inner circle behavior and sexual anorexia?” on page 6 in The Outer Circle for July – August, 2021