foodconsumer.org: Does Tiger have a sex addition?

Does Tiger have a sex addition?
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admin on 12/12/2009 01:22:00
 
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.