'Insight': Sex Addiction - VIDEO previews

An addiction to sex.

Think Tiger Woods and Russell Brand, who both claim to suffer from it. There’s a multi-million dollar rehabilitation industry built around it.

But others claim there’s no such thing as “sex addition”. Unlike drug and alcohol addiction, it’s not included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).

“This is a load of malarkey”, says clinical psychologist Dr David Ley. “It is pop psychology gone far astray because people are using it as a label to avoid responsibility”.

In this episode of the brilliant Australian SBS TV show 'Insight', meet people claiming to be sex addicts, their therapists, psychologists with conflicting views and loved ones who have been impacted by their partners’ behaviour.

Guests on the show include:

Ken Fergusson says he’s a recovering sex addict whose life unravelled due to his uncontrollable sexual behaviour. Ken says he has never been faithful in any of his relationships and says he used internet dating, pornography and cyber-sex to satisfy his constant need for sexual fixes. Ken is now in therapy and trying to save his relationship with partner Gillian.

“I was literally begging this woman to get her clothes off and get naked on the bed… I wanted a fix” – Ken

Watch his preview clip:

Gillian Robinson is Ken’s partner. She says she’s “been to hell and back” trying to have a committed and loving relationship with him. Gillian has demanded that Ken stop all virtual sex with other women, throw away the contact book and stop viewing pornography. However, she says the lies and the lack of intimacy have taken a huge toll on her. She’s in therapy too.

Dr David Ley is an American clinical psychologist and author of The Myth of Sex Addiction. He says sex addiction is just “pop psychology gone far astray”. Instead he believes cultural issues about sexuality and relationship problems are at the heart of why some people think their sexual behaviour is out of control.

Watch Dr Ley's preview clip:

Jesse Fink says he had sex with hundreds of women after his marriage breakdown. But he thinks sexual addiction is “a crock of shit”. “I think people who are caught out doing terrible things are now just throwing the term ‘sex addiction’ in the air,” he says.  Jesse says he chose to go on a sexual rampage and was not addicted to sex.  He’s written a book about his experiences.

Watch Jesse's preview clip:

A committed Christian, Luke Gibbons had a secret he was keeping from his church community: he was addicted to pornography. After struggling with his desires, he says he checked himself into “rehab” and was put on a 12-step recovery program. Luke says he first started watching porn in primary school and that by the time he was a teenager he was addicted. Luke has since been open about his struggles.

Here is a preview from the show:

Insight is hosted by Gold Walkley Award-winning journalist Jenny Brockie and is unmissable TV every Tuesday at 8.30pm on SBS ONE.