There are no words to describe the horrific toll the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) /Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) epidemic has taken on the world. Countless families have been affected by its fatal grip. Thankfully, tremendous advances in medical treatment have made living with HIV more manageable than ever. Nevertheless, the virus continues to spread at alarming rates.

What’s often left out of the discussion on transmission of the disease is the part sex addiction plays. “What we don’t address, we can’t change.” Sex addiction which many feel shouldn’t, or can’t be talked about, or even exist for that matter, needs to be brought into the discussion to determine its true impact on the spread of the virus. When sex addicts “act out,” they are often unconcerned or aware of the health risk they are potentially putting themselves and their partner(s) in.

As a recovered sex addict, who was fortunate not to have contracted the disease, I realize my prior addictive behavior not only put my life in jeopardy, but the lives of all the individuals who I acted out with my addiction. This is the question we need to ask: how many individuals who are unaware they are living with the virus are sex addicts?

Until the impact sex addiction has on the spread of HIV is brought to light, the death toll due to AIDS will continue to climb because “some” thought sex addiction shouldn’t be discussed and/or wasn’t truly an addiction impacting AIDS.