In September 2012, a biography of Michael Douglas’ life was sold around the world. Author Marc Eliot wrote about how Douglas grew up trying to survive life after his parents’ nasty divorce and how he coped with his father’s celebrity status. Eliot also revealed Douglas’s interventions in rehab for his struggles with drugs and alcohol. The actor best-known for his roles in films such as Wall Street, Basic Instinct, Romancing the Stone and Fatal Attraction attended Sierra Tucson Clinic for a 30-day rehab program in 1992, after his wife caught him cheating, not once but twice. Once with Jack Nicholson’s girlfriend and another with his wife’s best friend.

An excerpt from the biography, highlights his admission to his sex addiction during his time in rehab.

According to biographer John Parker, “Encouraged by his counselor, Michael reportedly began his program of self-discovery when he stood up, head bowed, and gave a lengthy commentary about his inner demons and the problems that had turned him into something of a Jekyll and Hyde character. He confessed to the group of eight fellow sufferers: ‘Sex is just a wave that sweeps over me, an impulse that is overpowering. I’m helpless. Every time.’ He also admitted to a problem with alcohol and drugs. He also said his wife had ‘kicked him out’ of the bedroom, having been repulsed by his apparently uncontrollable actions.”

Later on, Michael had this to say about his addictions: “Despite all the information one accumulates and despite the damage you know smoking wreaks on people, they still do it. It’s the same with alcohol. Drinking has nothing to do with highs, thrills, whatever. It has to do with many other causes. I’m not self-destructive. Where did that sex-addiction stuff come from? Some smart British editor decided to make the story about sex addiction. That hung around since 1992, and that little lie that got a lot of press and affected how people looked at me.”

Source: Michael Douglas: A Biography and Huffington Post