13 Celebs Who Battled Sex Addiction

While the World Health Organization recognized compulsive sexual behavior as sex addiction, as reported by the Mayo Clinic, and that 24 million U.S. adults could be classified as addicted to sex, it has not been classified as a mental health disorder by  the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). That does not mean that many people, including some of Hollywood’s biggest names, have not struggled with the impulse toward sex and using sex as a reward (in the same way that people might gamble or smoke as a compulsion).

The Cleveland Clinic defines sex addiction as “excessive sexual thoughts, desires, urges or behaviors that can’t be controlled and cause distress and harm to your relationships, finances and other aspects of your life.” Also called hypersexuality and compulsive sexual behavior, sex addictions are tumultuous for famous individuals due to the many temptations made easily accessible by their status and lifestyle.

From parties and drugs to fans who can’t resist getting as close as possible — literally — to some of the world’s biggest stars, acknowledging and kicking a sex addiction hasn’t been easy for these celebrities, and some of them are still suffering the consequences of their escapades to this day. Jesse James, Mike Caussin, and Lamar Odom all lost their marriages due to their repeated infidelity, for example.

Whether their compulsive sexual behavior has impacted the rest of their lives or were more of a lesson learned, the following celebrities have opened up about their experiences with sex addiction. Read on to learn about how some celebs have recovered fully, how some battle their demons daily, and how all of them were forced to face their addiction in one way or another.

This article was originally published on sheknows.com.