clipped from: news.bbc.co.uk   
Lord Laidlaw of Rothiemay has admitted to receiving treatment for "sex addiction" at a private clinic, likening it to alcohol dependency. But is it really?
Russell Brand

It's a term that first came to widespread attention when actor Michael Douglas was admitted to rehab in 1990 and it was reported - inaccurately, he later claimed - to be a sex addict.

Now Lord Laidlaw, 65, says he has been fighting the "disease" for the whole of his adult life.

But others in psychiatry and psychotherapy argue it is not comparable to substance addiction and should not be classed as such

It's a very serious addiction, says Paula Hall, who runs a group therapy course for "sex addicts" in Warwickshire, and it's believed about one in 20 people suffer from it.

It's not really about sex. It's driven by shame
Paula Hall
Relationships counsellor
But to turn round and argue that one is addicted to chocolate or sex,
strikes me as hijacking the concept of addiction