Does Tiger have a sex addition?

By Eileen McGaurin


With the nation mourning the loss of one of our heroes, Tiger Woods -- not to death but to scandal -- experts are speculating the golfing great may be suffering from a very real problem -- sex addiction.

Robert Weiss, executive director of the of the Sexual Recovery Institute in Los Angeles, said on the Early Show this morning that it is a very real possibility.

"The living of a double life is one way to really define a sex addiction," said Weiss on the CBS show Tuesday.

"When someone is publicly portraying themselves in one way and then living very differently on the side," said Weiss, "very differently in secret, that is a really clear sign of an addictive process going on."

And with reports that Tiger also has a drug addiction, Weiss said those two can often go hand-in-hand.

Although the American Psychiatric Association does not recognize sex addiction as a diagnosis, the World Health Organization does.

In a report on psychiatric behavior, the WHO said the following are symptoms of sexual addiction:

1. Recurrent failure, or a pattern, to resist impulses to engage in extreme acts of lewd sex.
2. Frequently engaging in those behaviors to a greater extent or over a longer period of time than intended.
3. Persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to stop, reduce, or control those behaviors.
4. Inordinate amount of time spent in obtaining sex, being sexual, or recovering from sexual experience.
5. Preoccupation with the behavior or preparatory activities.
6. Frequently engaging in violent sexual behavior when expected to fulfill occupational, academic, domestic, or social obligations.
7. Continuation of the behavior despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent social, academic, financial, psychological, or physical problem that is caused or exacerbated by the behavior.
8. Need to increase the intensity, frequency, number, or risk of behaviors to achieve the desired effect, or diminished effect with continued behaviors at the same level of intensity, frequency, number, or risk.
9. Giving up or limiting social, occupational, or recreational activities because of the behavior.
10. Resorting to distress, anxiety, restlessness, or violence if unable to engage in the behavior at times relating to SRD (Sexual Rage Disorder).

Medicine.net also says some of the behaviors of sexual addiction also include multiple affairs with multiple partners.

The Medicine.net Web site also says a person with a sex addiction gains little satisfaction from the sexual activity and does not form an emotional bond with their sex partners.

The sexual addiction often leads to feelings of guilt and shame.

What is the treatment for sex addiction?

As with every addiction, most sex addicts live in denial of their problem, and treating the addiction is dependent on the person admitting there is a problem.

It takes a significant event, such as the break up of a marriage, to force the addict to admit he or she has a problem.

Treatment focuses on controlling the addictive behavior and helping the person develop a healthy sexuality.  It includes education about what it means to be sexually healthy, individual counseling and marital/family counseling.