David Duchovny's sex disorder likened to alcoholism

Did life imitate art when David Duchovny, who plays a sex-mad writer on the hit US TV show “Californication,” seek treatment for sex addiction?

Or was it case of art imitating life for the “X-Files” actor — regarded as one of the hottest men in Hollywood and whose off-screen romances have long been a talking point.

Duchovny’s announcement on Thursday that he was voluntarily going into rehab for sex addiction after years of denying he had a problem, threw a spotlight on a disorder that few celebrities, and even fewer ordinary men and women, admit to.

Often likened to alcoholism, drug addiction or gambling, sex addiction is a form of compulsive behavior which is sending growing numbers of people into therapy but which is not formally recognized as a “diagnosable disorder” by the American Psychiatric Association.

Read it all.

print

Posted in * Culture-Watch, Movies & Television

9 comments on “David Duchovny's sex disorder likened to alcoholism

  1. Brad M says:

    [blockquote] Often likened to alcoholism, drug addiction or gambling, sex addiction is a form of compulsive behavior which is sending growing numbers of people into therapy but which is not formally recognized as a “diagnosable disorder” by the American Psychiatric Association. [/blockquote]
    I wonder if the APA is just loath to add another psychiatric diagnosis because they probably just cannot treat it. And too, they declared homosexuality NOT a disorder and I wonder if basically it was also something they could not treat. Then too, I’m sure that psychiatrists with homosexual orientation would have a tough time practicing if they were untreatable. I wonder!

    And, I think the APA found that the best possible treatment for alchoholism was AA and that they were and are basically ineffective there too. Does this mean that if you seek treatment for Homosexual Orientation or Sex Addiction that it would not be covered by insurance?

  2. Fr. Gregory Crosthwait says:

    I recently heard a wise priest say, “Get help when you need it without shame or fear. And everybody needs help.”

    Good words.

  3. DonGander says:

    I think that every man has a sex addiction. Some seek to control it and others seek to encourage it.

    That is the only difference.

    Don

  4. drummie says:

    You do not have an incurable disease, you have a dependency that has been brought on by your choices. Since they are your choices, you control them.
    The respected Cochrane Collaboration, which evaluates published research available in all areas of medical treatment, concluded the research does “not demonstrate the effectiveness of AA or other 12-step approaches in reducing alcohol use and achieving abstinence compared with other treatments” (Ferri et al., 2006).
    The Life Process Program© taught at St. Gregory Retreat Centers is unlike any traditional drug or alcohol rehabs in the U.S. Rather than considering the theory that an individual is powerless to change his or her behavior, that is exactly what we are here to help them do!
    http://www.thesoberchoice.com/program.html

    For those interested, the above comes from the St. Gregory Retreat Center. Statisticaly they are much better than 28 day treatment and AA. It is a matter of getting help from God through Christ, and changing your behavior. Until I received the help of the Holy Spirit, I coud not stay sober. With the help of my parish priest and God, I can. Gay lifestyles can be affected the same way, but you have to want help.

  5. Chris Hathaway says:

    I think that every man has a sex addiction.

    Don, I’m not sure I would say that. But I can’t say definitively that you’re wrong. I just would phrase it differently. I would say that none of us are straight. We are all bent in some form or fashion in our sexuality. For some of us the bend takes different shapes, and some are more distorted than others. But for all of us the cure is the same.

  6. DonGander says:

    5. Chris Hathaway:
    “Don, I’m not sure I would say that.”
    Yes, technically you are probably correct. Categorically my intent is the comparison to the alchoholic. I have a friend for whom it is very dangerous to go to bars or parties with alchohol. It is likewise, for me at least (assuming I am normal), dangerous for me to be around women in many situations. Discretion is my escape and guard.

    All the men that I know very well are well served by treating themselves as if they had an addiction. The ones that don’t – should have.

    Don

  7. New Reformation Advocate says:

    I don’t know what kind of treatment program the famous actor is getting. But I know the one that I always recommend is the Living Waters program developed by Andy Comiskey, founder of Desert Stream Ministries of Kansas City. Living Waters is a 7-9 month healing and discipleship program that meets one night a week, for several hours each time, and includes intensive prayer in small groups along with valuable teaching and accountability for people struggling with ANY kind of sexual or relational brokenness.

    I mention it especially because this is the time of year when Living Waters programs are starting all over the country (they generally run concurrent with the school year). Although Andy is an ex-gay and Living Waters was written especially for those struggling with unwanted same sex attractions (SSA), the course is also very effective in helping people dealing with heterosexual issues, emotional dependency and so on. I can’t recommend it too highly.

    And it’s not just men who struggle in this difficult area. Women do too. Personally, I think every Christian should take Living Waters. For relational, if not sexual, brokenness is universal.

    David Handy+

  8. Ed the Roman says:

    Probably the best program for alcohol is the Navy’s. Even they don’t report that they have really high success, and they have OODLES of coercive backup available.

  9. sathyan says:

    He is really a good actor as he has accepted his addiction ,it is very dis appointing that a diagnose for the sex addiction is still not completely obtained.
    —-
    sathyan
    [url=http://www.addictionlink.org/drug-rehab-center/connecticut]connecticut drug rehab[/url]