What is Porn Addiction?

There are people who have problems with impulse control, so much so that the impulse can have a debilitating (and mostly, destructive) effect on their lives. One such impulse control issue is watching porn.

With mobile devices and the Internet making it easier to get porn, whenever and wherever, those who are addicted to it no longer have to worry about lining up at the local store to get a magazine or a video. Technology has not only enabled addicts but it’s also allowed higher volumes of consumption.

What Happens to Porn Addicts?

Porn addiction can lead to difficulties with personal relationships. Symptoms of porn addiction will also often include feeling guilt or shame, and sometimes rejecting real life partners. Other addicts even experience sexual dysfunction, as sexual tastes change and trigger a potentially more aggressive side. In all, the extraordinary growing compulsion to watch porn, to the exclusion of everything else in life, will create devastating changes.

While some people might consider the behavioural problem as just a case of “cutting back,” most addictions are rarely kicked with simple vigilance to quantity. Addictions can alter how the brain functions — and an increasing compulsion to watch porn is no exception. It can change the production of neurotransmitters in the brain, making the porn addict compulsively seek out the activity. The rush and the craving have to be satisfied much in the same way that a cocaine addict might want to “get a fix.”

Is Porn Addiction Real?

While there is no official medical definition of pornography addiction, extensive literature exists on the topic. The question “is porn addiction real?” suggests that the existing research into pornography addiction is flawed and draws conclusions from limited samples. However, this same research argues that the ‘addictive’ consumption of porn may be caused by other underlying issues such as gender, sexual orientation, how often individuals are having sex in their relationship(s) and overall mental health.

Recent research has highlighted the necessity for better understanding of the relationship between the compulsive use of pornography and negative mental health. A study conducted in the U.S. on a sample of approximately 1000 university students found that 56.6% reported lifetime pornography use, and on average ~16% of these same students reported severe depression, anxiety and stress.

This is particularly relevant during the current Covid-19 pandemic during which physical isolation and lockdowns has led to excessive use of the internet. This increase in internet use has also seen an increase in dysfunctional behaviours such as excessive porn consumption or porn addiction and evidence suggests negative mental health during these trying times may be the cause.

A Solution to the Addiction

Removing access to computers and mobile devices might not be effective in beating porn addiction. Recovery from pornography addiction will only truly work with the help of a mental health professional. Through one-on-one counselling, psychotherapy or group therapy, porn addicts get the mental and emotional wellbeing evaluation they need. This is the critical first step toward overcoming the addiction: understanding it.

By talking with a licensed therapist, porn addicts can openly share or recount what they’ve done to satisfy their compulsion. It’s not easy for any addict to talk about the addiction, especially with families and friends, so a professional has to step in.

Addicts also have access to a wide range of therapies to recover from their behavioural problem. Therapists provide the tools that help porn addicts make healthier choices; they also develop knowledge to apply positive behaviours instead of negative ones. And recovery will be supported with specifically designed programs that prevent a relapse.

Symptoms of porn addiction will vary from person to person. But some signs will be constant, from losing track of time when viewing porn to losing the ability to stop even with negative consequences. The bottom line is that porn addiction recovery is possible. With recognition of the problem and the right therapy, addicts can stop porn from taking over their lives and regain control of it.

If you have a problem with porn addiction, search our directory of professional counsellors and therapists that specialise in porn addiction.

Article last updated 2nd August, 2021.