As we become a society gleaned more toward celebrity, there’s a hankering for vehemently believing strategically arranged statements on behalf of well-known personalities. Regardless if public record dismisses spewed chatter, the idea of “their people” stating otherwise seems to diffuse any other claim into obscurity.
“Have they released a statement?” The first question asked when an unnamed source blurbs to the public or when a leaked story hit airwaves about a celeb as if a statement is scripture.
Case and point: sex addiction. While the term has been thrust in our psyches from, most famously, golf great Tiger Woods and probably most believable, actor Charlie Sheen, there is a fair question being posed about the legitimacy of this “illness.” Is the diagnosis a farce that is being played beyond VH1’s “Sex Rehab” with Dr. Drew Pinsky or do these men only find validation in needing sex, specifically outside of their committed partners?
Though the “diagnosis” has been recently more connected to men who have problems with saying no, the term poetically surfaced in 1990 when actor Michael Douglas began having sexual urges for women other than his wife—and acted on those urges.
Just ten years prior to Michael Douglas’ admission, the first research was underway on sexual addiction which isn’t much time to justify anyone having such a diagnosis, right? Most mental disorders have been studied for decades before an understanding is sufficient to properly analyze—and name. Another important factor is sexual addiction does not appear in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), noting it is not recognized as an addiction, according to Dr. J. Ley, Ph.D. So, those who have sought counsel and attended rehab are practically getting over-priced pep talks about keeping hormones in check. Another important note? This supposed compulsive behavior is increasing the number of sex therapists positions since 2000. Ten years prior, only 100 therapists were aiming to help men keep their pants up until they made it home. There are 1500 therapists today who treat this disorder according to a report by the Daily Beast.
These facts didn’t make the cut for any celeb’s released statement claiming an addiction to sex.
However, according to Dr. Drew, he thinks sexual addiction is real and consists of “ignoring all other aspects of your life while you pursue new sexual conquests—conquests that never actually satisfy you. Imagine spending nine hours a day trolling internet porn sites, or going bankrupt because of too many visits to strip clubs and prostitutes,” Pinsky said. “For addicts, sex isn’t even pleasurable, but rather a way to escape the pain of past loss, childhood trauma, abuse and abandonment.”
Wouldn’t the driving force behind seeking sexual contenders be the issue, and not sex, especially if by Dr. Drew’s contention that sex isn’t pleasurable for the sufferers? The pleasure would bring forth the addiction, no (even if short-lived)? And if the sex isn’t pleasurable to begin with, why the need for outside sex from varied partners?
While some women have been “treated” for sexual addiction, men are more likely to be branded as suffering from the inability to contain their sexual desires which begs the connection to wealth and power. Powerful men think they should be able to cheat because their money is a silencer to dignity-reduced women (or men) who play nice to stay kept. Let’s be honest, men are less apt to stay with a woman who is having sexual escapades, frolicking about town.
“Fifty-eight percent of respondents held low-level non-management positions; 22% had some management responsibilities; 14% were middle managers; and 6% were top level executives. The higher someone was in the hierarchy, the greater the chance there was that they reported having cheated on their partner or intending to do so in the future — regardless of whether they were male or female,” according to Time magazine.
All facts considered, were Tiger Woods, Charlie Sheen, and the likes lying about being a sex addict or do you think the diagnosis is fitting?
