Story from: https://www.projectknow.com
What Is Porn Addiction?
Written By: Leah Miller, MA
Article Summary
Porn addiction is considered a behavioral addiction that is characterized
by an ever-growing compulsion to view pornographic content or material. In the
past, a person suffering from an addiction to pornography would primarily
satisfy his or her craving for pornographic content by viewing or storing
pornographic videos, magazines, and photos. Now, the tools available to feed a
porn addiction have since evolved thanks to the internet and other
technologies, allowing anonymous access to unlimited pornography at all levels
of explicitness.
In addition to the internet, a range
of others means, such as social media and smart phones, enable porn addiction
by providing an outlet to view pornography anywhere and at any time. These
devices allow you to store and view porn in higher volumes than ever before
while leaving little or no visible physical evidence of your porn use. Several
studies estimate that international rates of consumption of porn can range from
50% to 99% of men and 30% to 86% of women.1
Common
Signs and Side Effects
Although many medical and psychiatric professionals do not
treat the compulsion to view or use pornographic material as an addiction, the
signs and symptoms of porn addiction are often very similar to those that
signify an addiction to drugs or alcohol.2
Symptoms or signs of a porn addiction will vary depending on the person,
especially in the availability of pornographic material, the length of time
pornography has been a compulsion, and the severity of the addiction. There are
symptoms that are commonly present for many patients seeking treatment.
Warning signs and symptoms of a porn addiction may
include:
- Being unable to stop using porn or stop engaging in the behaviors associated with porn, despite repeated attempts to do so. Approximately 9% of viewers reported that they had made unsuccessful attempts to stop.1
- Experiencing cravings to view porn.2 Much like substance users report feeling strong urges to use drugs, porn addicts can experience strong urges to view porn.
- Becoming angry, hostile, or irritable when asked to stop using porn.3 Porn addicts may deny their porn viewing or be upset when loved ones request that they stop.
- Keeping all or part of one’s porn use secret from loved ones. Porn addiction has been shown to lead to increased secrecy in relationships.1
- Feeling as though one is living a double or secret life because of porn use. A person with a porn addiction may feel guilty or ashamed and work hard to hide his or her porn viewing from others.
- Continuing to view porn despite negative consequences, such as broken relationships or a job loss. Relationships where one partner is addicted to porn can lead to a reduction in intimacy, emotional distance, reduced sexual satisfaction, and an overall poorer quality of relationship.1 Being unable to abstain from porn during work hours can lead to disciplinary action or even job loss.1
- Losing track of large chunks of time due to being absorbed in porn use. Porn addicts may spend much of the day viewing pornography. This can lead to porn becoming a priority, with everything else set aside in favor of viewing porn.
- Requiring increasing amounts or more explicit porn to gain the same satisfaction or thrill, similar to the development of a tolerance.3
To determine whether porn addiction
treatment is necessary, you may be asked to consider which of the following
statements are true for you:
- I feel powerless to resist the urge to view porn.
- I frequently spend more time or money on porn than I initially intended.
- I have made many unsuccessful attempts to limit or stop viewing porn.
- I spend a significant portion of time viewing porn, thinking about porn, or engaging in activities that will enable access to porn.
- I neglect family, social, or work obligations to view porn.
- I continue to use porn despite experiencing negative consequences.
- I pass up opportunities, or consider passing up opportunities, to have more time to use or view porn.
- I feel anxious, stressed, or irritable if I’m unable to access porn.
Many of these warning signs echo the
behaviors associated with substance abuse disorders, such as isolating in order
to engage in viewing porn, or ignoring, replacing, or neglecting significant
relationships due to a fixation on pornography. Porn addicts may find
themselves viewing pornographic images or content for hours.
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If left untreated, porn addiction
can lead to broken or troubled intimate relationships, feelings of shame and
guilt, problems with work or school, job loss, financial troubles, and divorce.
Many porn addicts also suffer from other mental health issues, such as alcohol
or substance use disorders, and mood disorders, such as depression.4
Compulsion
vs. Addiction
Mental health professionals are
limited in their ability to diagnose someone as conclusively porn-addicted,
because this behavior is not formally recognized as a disorder. Although there
is a fine line between the two, some mental health professionals feel that
porn is a compulsion rather than an addiction. Still, support for the existence
of porn addiction has gained support from recent research studies.1
Porn addiction shares many of the
same characteristics as a substance use disorder. One of the important criteria
in defining an addiction is the development of tolerance to the addictive
substance. Over time, a porn addict may require more frequent and increasingly
explicit porn to experience the same high or excitement as he or she originally
did. Compulsive viewing of pornography can lead to the cycle of addiction,
which involves a craving stage where the individual is preoccupied or
anticipating the viewing of porn. This is followed by actively
viewing porn and then experiencing a negative emotional state, where the
individual can become irritable or hostile.2, 3
Because of these similarities,
treatment centers often view porn as an addiction when planning rehab and recovery programs. Research demonstrates that
addiction to porn is a function of brain changes, which affects the same areas
of the brain as substance use.1, 3
Considerations
When Choosing a Treatment Center
In 2016, Recovery Brands collected data asking people who
were leaving an addiction recovery program what treatment center facets they
had come to view as the most valuable things to examine when deciding on
treatment. At the top of the list was the center’s financial options—for
example financial support, insurance accepted, and payment options. They also
appreciated the clinic’s offerings (facility housing, food quality, rooms)
significantly more after experiencing treatment. If you are considering
treatment, you will want to look at a program’s monetary policies, as well as
clinic offerings, to help you with your final facility choice.
Seeking
Help and Getting Treatment
Porn addiction treatment and recovery must address the
addiction, but it must also work toward changing patterns of behavior and
thoughts that contribute to a porn addiction, and developing relapse prevention skills.2 The first
step in getting help is admitting that you have a problem, followed by finding a professional who is experienced in treating porn
addiction and is aware of the most effective treatment methods, such
as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).4 It is important to be honest
and comprehensive with a therapist. Don’t leave out important details because
they are embarrassing or uncomfortable, because they can help guide your
treatment plan. Finally, keep in mind that the therapist is there to help, not
judge.
Seeking help and admitting that you are
battling a porn addiction can feel embarrassing or humiliating, but to overcome
the addiction, you must choose to take that first step toward recovery anyway.
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