Tulsa Man Discusses His Struggle With Sex Addiction

By Ashli Sims, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- Tiger Woods is heading back to therapy after an emotional confession to the press.

"I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated," Tiger Woods said during a statement made Friday morning.

The statement is the first time the golf superstar has spoken publicly about the sex scandal that threatened both his marriage and his career. 

During the 13 minute statement, Woods said he plans to return to golf but doesn't know when. He also said he is undergoing therapy to address his problems.

2/19/2010  Related Story: Tiger Woods: 'Sorry' for Irresponsible Behavior

Woods didn't elaborate on what kind of treatment he is undergoing, but there has been widespread speculation that he's dealing with a sexual addiction. 

It's a controversial diagnosis that some say is becoming more and more common.

A Tulsa man, who agreed to share his story with The News On 6 only if he could remain anonymous, said his sexual addiction almost cost him his marriage and his life.

"I didn't know that I suffered from it for a long time," the man told The News On 6.

The Tulsa man said sex controlled and almost destroyed his life.

"It just progressed from one thing to the next. And when it got to behaviors that were morally reprehensible to me, then I knew it was addiction because I couldn't stop and I hated doing it," the man said.

High-profile cases, like actor David Duchovny and golf superstar Tiger Woods, have put sex addiction into the spotlight and under the microscope.

The Tulsa man said he hit bottom when his wife kicked him out of the house.

"She felt very betrayed and I felt horrible about it. I knew it was wrong, but I couldn't stop doing it," the man said. "I had horrible depression. I was in despair. I had thoughts of suicide.

"It's about a disease. It truly is a disease. It definitely is a disease."

"Some of the people in my organization, the American Society of Addiction Medicine don't recognize it as such," said Dr. William Yarborough, OU-Tulsa Addiction Specialist.

OU Tulsa's Dr. William Yarborough is certified in addiction medicine, specializing in drug and alcohol abuse. He said the diagnosis is still debated, but more facilities are offering treatment for sexual compulsion. 

Dr. Yarborough said there are signs you might need to get help.

"As a syndrome, if you will, I think that there may be people that cross the line into addiction where they get into behavior that they can't control," said Dr. William Yarborough.

"From my experience being in 12-step groups, that sex addiction is harder to kick than alcoholism or drug addiction," the Tulsa man said.

The man said with the help of Sex Addicts Anonymous, he has been in recovery for seven years and he has worked to restore his marriage.

"There's definitely hope for those of you who are despairing and feel like you can't control your life. You can get control of your life. It's very possible," the man said.

Sex addiction may be gaining more ground in the psychiatric community. While it's not in the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM, there is a proposal to include hypersexual disorder in the revised version due to be released in 2013.