Jax Taylor‘s relationship with sex now is quite different compared to how sheltered he was as a teenager.
During the Thursday, March 20, episode of his “In the Mind of a Man” podcast, Taylor, 45, was asked by guest — and sex therapist — Dr. Emily Morse whether he had conversations about sex when he was growing up in Michigan.
“No and I grew up in a very conservative neighborhood,” Taylor recalled about his upbringing before moving to Los Angeles. “I don’t even think I had the sex talk with my dad.”
The reality star referred to himself as a “very late bloomer,” adding, “Sex wasn’t really a big thing then. I didn’t lose my virginity until I was 19.” Taylor compared his teenage years to American Pie, the 1999 coming-of-age comedy about a group of high school classmates who make a pact to lose their virginity before they graduate.
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Later in the podcast, Taylor admitted that he has wondered whether he has a sex addiction. He is currently working on his sobriety after opening up about his substance abuse struggles.
“I have substance issues — primarily with cocaine. It’s hard to say out loud,” he said on Bravo’s “Hot Mic” podcast earlier this month. “I’ve been dealing with this on and off since I was 23 and now I’m 45. There were times where I would stop doing it, but then there were times where I’d go heavy on it.”
Taylor explained why he cut out alcohol as well. “People ask you, ‘Do you have an alcohol problem too?’ I don’t necessarily think I have an alcohol problem, but the two go hand in hand,” he continued. “I can’t do cocaine without drinking. So I just gave up both. I’m proud to say I’m 83 days sober right now, which is the longest I’ve ever gone in my life without either.”
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According to The Valley star, there were “some signs” on Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules that hinted at his struggles.
“And [producers] did pull me aside a couple times and say, ‘Listen, calm down now.’ They didn’t know, but they thought I was drinking too much,” he said while clarifying that production wasn’t “supplying” the cast with alcohol or any substances. “I would go off on my own. We would film a scene and you have 30 minutes [of] downtime, so most people go rest. I would go to a bar, get lit or go next door from SUR, and that’s where we all went because we weren’t allowed to drink during scenes.”
Taylor’s personal struggles ultimately affected his marriage to Brittany Cartwright. “I’ve been doing it for a long time, but the addiction got worse during my divorce and during my separation,” he concluded. “I literally lost control. I hit rock bottom and I had to go to rehab.”
