Warning: this article discusses the loss of a child which some readers may find distressing.
It can be extremely difficult to admit you’re an addict - especially if your vice has pretty much become a way of life.
Former sex addict Laurie Jade Woodruff spent 20 years living through an intimacy obsession which she claims totally consumed her.
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Over two decades, she embarked on various toxic relationships but didn’t realise her acts were ‘unhealthy’ until she experienced a devastating loss.
“When I was younger it was just really fun,” Woodruff told LADbibleTV earlier this month.
“I loved it, I was just doing and doing loads of crazy things and having loads of new experiences. And in the beginning, like it always is, I suppose with every addiction.”
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Despite allegedly having fun, Woodruff confessed her craving for sex had started to become a real issue when she began attracting ‘bad’ people.
“I think that’s when I knew,” she claimed.
“If you’re not getting that attention all the time, that’s your fix… if you choose people who aren’t right for you then you don’t have to commit yourself.
“I think that’s ultimately what’s at the core of it. I think it’s, that you’re scared to let yourself be vulnerable and love properly and be loved because you don’t feel like you deserve it.”
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Woodruff went on to say that, while her life was ‘out of control’ in her 20s, she was relatively content because she didn’t have any real ‘responsibilities’.
However, she later suffered heartbreak when her son of seven weeks died, leading to her addiction getting worse.
“I got diagnosed with PTSD after that anyway because he was in my arms when he died so after that life was pretty bad for a long time.
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“That’s when I started to get really codependent and try and reach out for relationships and then I went on loads of sex binges.”
When asked how many people she was sleeping with on a weekly basis after losing her son, Woodruff admitted: “I don’t know. 20 or something like that in a week.”
Following her infant’s death, Woodruff was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and has gone on to embark on a journey of recovery.
Furthermore, she has offered some sage advice to others who are currently in the throes of sex addiction.
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“I want other people to know that they can have the life they want. Don’t spend all your time in that addiction.
“Addiction distracts you from your life’s purpose,” she added. “You’ve got that energy to go and be successful in whatever that is that you’re meant to do.”
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article, or would like to seek support or further information, you can contact Sex Addicts Anonymous on their website, where email addresses and phone numbers – including a dedicated women's line and LGBTQ+ contact – can be found.
Topics: Health, Mental Health, Sex and Relationships, Lifestyle
Ella Scott