The former NBA player Lamar Odom says he’s been “obsessed with sex for as long as I can remember.”
Lamar Odom, a former NBA player, recently revealed that he is in recovery from sex addiction and substance abuse. In his memoir “Darkness to Light,” he talks about the impact that sex addiction and drug use have had on his life. These factors led to infidelity in his marriage to Khloe Kardashian, and the two officially divorced in 2016 after splitting up in 2013.
“I have been obsessed with sex for as long as I can remember,” Odom shared in an excerpt of his book. People Magazine spoke with him further, where he also stated, “Sex was a trigger for me to do drugs… you double up on [that] good feeling.”
Odom sought treatment after a 2015 drug overdose in Las Vegas. “That was the wake-up call. Like, this can’t happen again,” he said. Though he is now drug-free and in recovery, he says he still struggles with addiction.
“I’m sober now. But it’s an everyday struggle,” Odom says. “I have an addiction. I’ll always have an addiction. It never goes away. I mean, I want to get high right now. But I know that I can’t if I want to be here for my children.”
How His Sex Addiction Triggered Cocaine Abuse
Odom says his sex addiction led him to use cocaine. Sex addiction is similar to drug addiction, as people who suffer from it feel cravings and seek its pleasurable effects. Odom spoke about “doubling up” on good feelings, which he did by combining sex and cocaine. As he continually searched for sexual encounters, the need to use drugs followed.
People who suffer from sex addiction often have feelings of guilt and shame, which can lead to mood disorders such as depression. These people may use drugs to cope with these feelings, leading to substance use disorders. “With cocaine especially,” Odom explains, “there’s a high, and then an emotional low. You go high, and then you go low. High, low, high, low. After you do it, you feel shame. You think about all the reasons why you shouldn’t have done it. Then the cycle starts again.”
Odom, however, also used drugs to heighten his sexual experiences. The cycle of sex addiction feeding into drug use is what caused his eventual overdose.
Odom was able to break free from his addictions by finding professional treatment. If you or a loved one is suffering from sex addiction and drug abuse, The Recovery Village is here to help. Our expert staff can provide treatment for addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders. Contact us today to begin the path toward recovery.
Nahas, Aili. “Lamar Odom Reveals He’s Had Sex with Over 2,000 Women.” People Magazine, May 15, 2019. Accessed June 4, 2019.
Odom, Lamar. “Done in the Dark.” The Players’ Tribune, July 27, 2017. Accessed June 4, 2019.
The Recovery Village aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers.