Cleveland Kidnapper Ariel Castro Says He Is A Sex Addict; Man Charged With Kidnapping And Raping Three Women Says His Problem Is Medical

Various media sources are reporting report that Ariel Castro the 52-year-old "Cleveland Kidnapper" charged with kidnapping and raping three women over roughly 10 years, claims to be a "sex addict." Castro, who was arrested on Monday after Amanda Berry, one of the kidnapped women, escaped from his house with the help of neighbors and called police, was held on $8 million bond Thursday by a Cleveland Municipal Court judge. Meanwhile, police found a suicide note from around 2004 in Castro's house, in which he acknowledged having a sex addiction. He wrote, "I am a sex predator. I need help," according to the New York Post.

In the note, Castro also reportedly blames the girls for their own abductions. Whether or not Castro is identifying as an addict in an attempt to explain his actions, clinical psychologist Dr. David J. Ley responds in Psychology Today that the use of the term unfairly shifts the discussion away from the crimes.

"The label of sex addiction has become a convenient, fictional excuse and label, for almost anything bad or problematic associated with sex," writes Ley. "To allow sex addiction to enter into this discussion treats these victims callously, and blames sex for their suffering, rather than placing the blame on the man who kidnapped, raped and imprisoned them."

Berry and her fellow kidnapping victim Gina DeJesus have both returned home. According to a hospital spokesperson the third woman, Michelle Knight, was released from MetroHealth Medical Center today.

In the celebrity world, Tiger Woods claimed to have a sex addiction after cheating on ex-wife Elin Nordegren, while Jesse James claimed the same thing after cheating on ex-wife Sandra Bullock with numerous women. Former New York politician Anthony Weiner also claimed sex addiction after sending sexually explicit photos to numerous women on Twitter. Actor David Duchovny has also received professional treatment for his self-diagnosed sex addiction.