Pornographic content is now highly accessible and normalised for consumption. Once a taboo subject, porn-like content has found itself among many different industries, found within many different relationships, and found as a form of entertainment. With that being said, exposure to porn isn’t seen as a vast problem.
However, when consumption of pornographic content results in negative consequences, to life, to wellbeing, to relationships and to personal mental health, here’s where a problem can arise, porn addiction.
Categorised under sex addiction, porn addiction is seen as a compulsive use disorder, where accessing pornographic content becomes an uncontrolled, obsessive behaviour.
Caused by childhood exposure to sexual content, rejection, biological imbalance of sex hormones, pre-existing mental health issues and pressures of sexual ideologies, porn addiction can become a significant, consistent problem.
Found to deter healthy relationships, to cause genital problems and injuries, to create unrealistic ideas of sexual relationships and to increase the risk of dual diagnosis, long-term exposure to excessive porn consumption can be life-altering, for the worst.
Find out how to break the cycle by completing porn addiction treatment & rehab, confidentially recommended here at Addiction Advocates.
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The realism of porn addiction
To view porn isn’t a shocking action. It’s in fact heavily normalised, on a personal level, even if openly talking about it still seems taboo-like. However, when the definition of normal for porn consumption becomes excessive, becomes controlling and becomes compulsive, the harmless image of pornographic content soon dwindles.
The realism of porn addiction can be detrimental. While physical harm isn’t necessarily the case, social and psychological harm is expected, due to the irrational, engulfing and obsessive nature behind addiction.
Untreated porn addiction can result in mental health issues, down to the frustration, the stress and the dysfunctional feelings and experiences that are encountered.
It can also cause significant issues for relationships, where unrealistic ideas of sex are displayed, which can also develop into an obsessive comparison disorder. Pressures on partners are also noted in relation to porn addiction, deterring many relationships. Depression, unfulfillment and isolation are all results of abnormal pornographic consumption levels, down to the priority that it takes through addiction.
Ultimately, many individuals may discredit the seriousness of porn addiction, especially once compared with commonly encountered addictions and mental health issues.
Yet a porn addiction can turn an individual’s life upside down, resulting in unsustainable expectations and can turn to be a very lonely, isolating and testing reality. Down to this, sourcing porn addiction treatment & rehab will be encouraged to instead develop a healthy relationship with both sex and pornography.
What causes porn addiction?
Porn addiction is commonly caused by relationship problems, childhood trauma, detachment issues, mental health problems and by unfulfilling sex life.
All in fact trigger negative emotions and memories, which drive individuals towards porn as an escape and an opportunity to feel good. This is a positive reinforcer, which is commonly found when consuming drugs, acting as a distraction, a high and a distortion of reality.
Being exposed to sexual content from a very early age can also trigger a porn addiction, as full development, which should be the case when considering such content will be incomplete.
Understanding sex and its realism of can, therefore, develop such strong ideologies which are delivered through porn. For someone who has had premature exposure, excessive consumption will be the norm to them, yet very unhealthy if deterring other areas of life.
Biology, which of course cannot be controlled can also increase the risk of porn addiction. Increased levels of sex hormones can trigger the need for release and pleasure, as can general susceptibility to behavioural addictions.
Ultimately, porn addiction can be brought on by the environment, by emotions, by memories, by social expectations and by genetics.
No matter the cause, it can be testing to deal with once consequences are encountered, driving the need for porn addiction treatment & rehab.
Signs of porn addiction
As a porn addiction is classed as a compulsive use disorder, which affects behavioural changes more than anything, signs are noted through physical actions and psychological choices. Once those behaviours begin to deter life, to any degree or context, where porn exposure is taking priority, addiction can be diagnosed.
Signs of porn addiction include:
- Excessive cravings of porn exposure
- Spending a lot of time watching, accessing, and downloading pornographic content
- Experiencing withdrawal-like symptoms when you cannot access porn
- Only feeling satisfied while watching porn
- Expecting unrealistic ideologies of sexual activity
- Seeing porn as a mood uplifter
- Encountering relationship problems down to the presence of porn
- Hiding your porn consumption
- Experiencing mental health symptoms, such as anxiety and depression without exposure
- Encountering problems throughout your life down to prioritising porn
Accessible forms of porn addiction treatment & rehab services
There are some accessible forms of porn addiction treatment & rehab services that you can privately access in order to work through your fixations on pornographic content and activity.
Below are some which are recommended through our associated rehab clinics here at Addiction Advocates, with a focus on therapy for porn addiction.
Cognitive behavioural therapy
Known to treat emotionally driven addictions and mental health issues, CBT will be used to help you digest your emotions, to help you work through any previous trauma or rejection, and to help you see the realism of porn addiction.
CBT is also known to assist with developing positive coping strategies, which will firstly be helpful if you’re using porn as an outlet of escapism, and secondly to reduce the need to be exposed to porn.
Group therapy
While it may seem strange to open up about such a personal and taboo subject, there are many other individuals experiencing symptoms of porn addiction. Gaining perspective, building up understanding and taking accountability for the next steps is very helpful when overcoming addiction.
Please be reassured that all sessions will remain confidential throughout rehab.
Couple’s therapy
Excessive pornographic consumption can result in significant relationship issues. You may find that your addiction has damaged your relationship or has placed pressure on your sex life. Couple’s therapy will be invaluable, to build understanding and to also fix any deeper problems which may now be evident through physical actions.
Exposure therapy
Pornographic-like content will always be around. While recommendations will be made to reduce and manage personal exposure, there’s a chance that you may be faced with some degree of exposure. Exposure therapy will help to develop strong reactions and coping strategies to work through physical and psychological exposure. This is very important to also strengthen relapse prevention efforts.
Stress management
Porn exposure can be seen as a stress reliever. A common porn addiction treatment which is therefore recommended surrounds stress management, to deal with the initial causation, while deflecting attention from the coping technique of porn exposure.
One way or another, porn will be seen as a stimulus that triggers positive reinforcers. Understanding and deterring such feelings must be worked through, while also strengthening mental health and rebuilding from causations. Through porn addiction treatment & rehab services, with suitability in mind, doing just that will be possible, while also strengthening further areas of life.
Contact our team at Addiction Advocates to reach a point where you can sustainably cope without porn exposure.
Seth is an author, addiction recovery expert and fully accredited member of the national counselling society. He has experience working with a wide range of addictions and mental illnesses using a number of evidence-based therapies and programmes such as the SMART models of addiction recovery.
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