Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Coverage of Charlie Sheen's Recent Interviews Likely to be Triggering to Sex Addicts; Boston Sex Expert Urges Media to be More Responsible.

Charlie Sheen's rants about his live-in "goddesses" and his ongoing exploits with sex and drugs are likely to be very triggering to many types of sex addicts, particularly those addicted to internet porn, prostitutes and escort services, according to Boston sex therapist and psychologist Aline Zoldbrod, Ph.D.. While mental health professionals see evidence of multiple, serious psychiatric diagnoses in Sheen's troubling interviews, and the man on the street may feel, "Gee, he must be a tortured individual to be leading the life he is living," many sex addicts watching the recent interviews experience envy and idealize Sheen.

"I see a trend in my patients. Sex addicts watch these interviews and think, 'Gee, I'd love to party with a porn star. I envy Sheen, he's so unapologetic about what he is doing. He feels no guilt, no fear, no shame. I'd like to have his confidence. Look at him, he's getting away scott-free,' says Zoldbrod.

Porn addicts are listening and watching Sheen on television bragging about his two beautiful blondes, one of whom was a porn star, and they're feeling, 'Boy, I'd like to be able to actually have sex with a porn star. It's like what I've been thinking about forever; it would be like a dream come true. I can imagine the feelings afterwards. It would be life changing.'

Zoldbrod's concern is that the massive and unending, uncritical, dissemination of the the Sheen TV interviews may cause sex addicts who have been getting their compulsions under control to relapse. Her hope is that there will be more responsible media coverage of the consequences of sexual addiction and that Sheen's behavior will be analyzed, evaluated, and de-romanticized with the same amount of time and energy that the media have spent publicizing it. "So far, this is classic media coverage in the 'more heat than light' school," Zoldbrod says.

Hopefully, the media will provide links to support groups for sexual addicts, like SA, SLAA, or SAA, says Zoldbrod.

While mental health professionals disagree over the use of the label of "sexual addiction," they are beginning to agree that there is a clinical syndrome of compulsive and impulsive sexual behavior which destroys lives and which needs to be addressed and treated. Sexual compulsivity and impulsivity disorders tend to co-exist in people with other mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, substance disorders (such as alcohol and drug dependence), or ADD. Compulsive sexual behavior may be a coping mechanism for other unbearable feelings, notes Zoldbrod.

To find out more about sexual addiction and a list of groups which can provide help with recovery, visit http://www.BostonSexualAddictionTherapy.com

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