What is sex addiction, what are the symptoms, is it a mental illness and which celebrities have suffered from it?
SEX addiction – many people will have heard about it, but is it actually a real disorder?
Many people have debated whether sex addiction is a real disorder. Here's what we know...
What is sex addiction?
Relationship counselling service describe sex addiction as “as any sexual activity that feels out of control”.
Defined in this way sexual activity can cover practices like viewing pornography, masturbation, visiting prostitutes, excessive sexual fantasies or anonymous sex.
Some people who suffer from sex addiction fall into the category of "sexual anorexia".
In the guidelines provided by they say: "As an eating disorder, anorexia is defined as the compulsive avoidance of food.
"In the area of sex and love, anorexia has a similar definition: Anorexia is the compulsive avoidance of giving or receiving social, sexual or emotional nourishment."
So you don't actually need to be having sex to qualify for sex and love addiction, you just need to have an unhealthy relationship with sex as a whole.
Is sex addiction a mental illness?
For the first time ever, sexual addiction has now been classified as a mental illness.
The landmark move by the World Health Organisation could see patients treated by the NHS for compulsive sexual behaviour being provided by the NHS.
What are the signs of a sex addiction?
WHO’s list describes compulsive sexual behaviour disorder as a “persistent pattern of failure to control intense, repetitive sexual impulses or urges resulting in a repetitive sexual behaviour”.
Symptoms include sex becoming the “central focus” of the person’s life at the neglect of health, personal care or interests and responsibilities.
The behaviour should be clear for six months or more and cause distress in personal lives.
Characteristics of sex and love addiction
- Becoming sexually or emotionally involved with people you don't know well
- Staying in and returning to destructive relationships
- Compulsively jumping from one relationship to the next or sleeping with/being involved with more than one person at a time
- Confusing sexual attraction with love
- Feeling that you're not good enough when you're alone
- Sexualising stress/guilt/lonliness/anger/shame
- Using sex to manipulate others
- Getting caught up in romantic or sexual fantasies
- Attaching yourself to people who are emotionally unavailable
- Avoiding physicial/sexual/emotional intimacy for fear of being vulnerable
Celebrities who suffer from sex and love addiction
Several celebs have confessed to having suffered with sex addiction in the past.
Notably, Russell Brand admitted that he had been affected, in a 2007 excerpt from his book, 'My Booky Wook', shared with , he said that sex provided him with “a breathing space, when you're outside of yourself and your own head”.
X Files star David Duchovny was also reported to have gone to rehab for sex addiction after he cheated on his wife Tea Leoni.
Black Sabbath favourite Ozzy Osbourne was also forced to confront his sex addiction – when one of his affairs went public.
He was said to be “mortified” at how his behaviour affected his family and as a result went in to “intense therapy”.
Other celebs who have spoken out about their sex addiction include Tiger Woods and Calum Best.
In June 2016, Kelly Brook's ex fiance and former Gladiator David McIntosh confessed that he "couldn't help cheating" after being caught out on multiple occasions.
In September 2017, Katie Price’s sex addict husband Kieran Hayler confessed that his addiction is so ferocious he would have cheated with an 80-year-old and, after the news emerged, Russell Brand took to Loose Women to share his advice to sex addicts.
Kourtney Kardashian's ex Scott Disick has also claimed he is a sex addict.
What treatment options are available for sex addicts?
Anyone who is worried that they may be suffering with sex addiction – or if they feel someone they know has a sex addiction – should reach out to their GP for further help and advice.
There are a number of anonymous fellowship groups available for people who relate to the issues outlined in this article - for example Sex And Love Addicts Anonymous, where sufferers can share with supportive people who are in recovery from the addiction.
advises that partners who feel their other-half has a problem should talk to each other.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has been used to treat the addiction.
CBT is a talking therapy that can help those suffering with certain issues to manage their problems by changing the way their think and how they behave.
Sufferers could also consider visiting Sex Addicts Anonymous, who run local support groups where people can help each other recover from their problems.
If you're concerned about yourself, or your partner, visit www.relate.org.uk or ring Relate on 0300 100 1234.