What Is Sex Addiction? 5 Celebrities Who Admitted To Mental Disorder

After accused by several women of sexually assaulting them, Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein has left Los Angeles on Tuesday night for a sex addiction rehab center in Europe, TMZ reported. According to sources, Weinstein said he will enter a live-in facility and deal with sex and other behavioral issues.

Amid news that the producer has sought sex addiction rehab, several questions arise on what the disorder is, its types, signs, causes, and effects.

Sex addiction is a type of mental disorder characterized by compulsive engagement in sexual activity, particularly intercourse, despite negative consequences.

According to the Ranch, “Sex addiction, also known as hypersexual disorder, is characterized by persistent and escalating sexual thoughts and acts that have a negative impact on the individual’s life.”

There are various types of sex addiction, courtesy the Ranch:

1. Compulsive masturbation or fantasy
2. Anonymous sex
3. Obsessive dating
4. Unsafe sex
5. Addiction to pornography
6. Cybersex
7. Prostitution

Not only is sex addiction unhealthy, it can have some other unwanted consequences too. Women who suffer from sexual addiction are more likely to experience unplanned pregnancies, which can have adverse effects on their health. For both men and women, there are increased chances of contracting sexually transmitted diseases.

Among other adverse effects of sexual addiction, there is a decline in personal relationships, productivity at work along with decreased concentration.

Sexual addiction can also lead to a number of psychological disorders such as anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and even obsessive-compulsive disorders in some cases, PsychGuides.com stated.

Speaking about sex addiction, we take a look at five celebrities who admitted to battling this mental disorder:

1. Charlie Sheen:

On Nov. 17, 2015, ‘Two and a Half Men’ star Charlie Sheen, in an interview on national television announced that he was diagnosed with HIV. He is said to have first checked into a rehab facility for sex addiction when he was 25, MTV UK reported. According to the Cosmopolitan, Charlie once said: “I’ve slept with over 5,000 women.”

2. Kanye West:

“People ask me a lot about my drive I think it comes from, like, having a sexual addiction at a really young age. Look at the drive that people have to get sex—to dress like this and get a haircut and be in the club in the freezing cold at 3 a.m., the places they go to pick up a girl. If you can focus the energy into something valuable, put that into work ethic,” Rapper Kanye was quoted as saying by E! News.

He was also once quoted saying: “I think I have a sexual problem, a sexual addiction. I want to do it all the time.”

3. Tiger Woods:

Golfer Tiger Woods was recently in the news for being arrested for driving under influence of alcohol and drugs. Back in 2009, Woods was involved in one of the major sex scandals in the history of the sports. His extramarital affair, divorce and a number of stories that followed it forced the golfer to take a break from his game. At the time, he also revealed he was battling sex addiction.

“He would engage in sex from 9 p.m. until the sun came up the next morning," Woods mistress Loredana Jolie revealed at the time, Complex reported.

4. David Duchovny

The X-Files star who had reportedly cheated on his wife for years before checking into a sex addiction rehab once said that his wife Tea Leoni had given him an ultimatum — “Get treatment or our marriage is over,” the Daily Mail Online reported.

Before checking into the facility, Duchovny said: “I have voluntarily entered a facility for the treatment of sex addiction. I ask for respect and privacy for my wife and children as we deal with this situation as a family.”

5. Lindsay Lohan

Among rumors of bedding countless men and women, Lindsay when asked about her sex addiction said, “It was a lot of stuff …you know. I enjoy having sex. Being an actress is lonely. I hate sleeping alone,” MTV UK reported.