How To Deal With Pornography Addiction

By Sarah Stefanson
[Intimacy & Sexuality]
Availability

With the introduction of the Internet, pornography became a pervasive part of our lives.  One does not even have to build up the courage to walk into a store to get pornography anymore.  It can be accessed in the privacy of their own home from their computer or on cable.  This is one of the reasons why porn addiction has become a problem in recent times.  When the industry first began to take hold in the 1960s, it was relegated to seedy theatres catering to mostly creepy old men.  These days, guests on Oprah are even talking about watching it, alone and with their partners (although in that context, they call it “erotica”).  It has become far more socially acceptable and attainable.

Tolerance

Just like an alcoholic needs to increase his level of drinking as he becomes tolerant to the substance, so too does a porn addict need to increase both the frequency of his viewing and the extremeness of its content.  This may not happen to all addicts and, despite the convictions of certain groups, it does not necessarily lead to sexually deviant behaviour in their real sex lives.  Someone who gets turned on by watching extreme or hardcore sex acts, will not necessarily want to perform the same acts themselves.

What God Has to Say

Church groups are taking a serious interest in the cause of curing pornography addiction.  Like most other vices, the church says this addiction can be stopped by accepting Jesus Christ as your lord and saviour.  They also claim that frequent pornography viewing is the inevitable first step toward actually adultery and shirking of other responsibilities such as work and family.  A quick search on the Internet provides many sources of information and support for overcoming pornography addiction, but if you are really looking for help, avoiding the groups with religious ulterior motives would be a benefit to your recovery.  While I'm sure there are support resources with religious connotations that have only honourable intentions, most are generally more interested in converting you to their faith than actually helping you with your psychological issues.

What Can Be Done

Many therapists recommend a 12-step program for porn addicts similar to Alcoholics Anonymous and other addiction support groups.  There are resources on the Internet to help with recovery and to connect addicts with other addicts to share experiences.  Many internet filters are available to help curb the temptation to view pornography while surfing the net and some have found these very helpful.  For some, porn addiction is indicative of more serious sexual dysfunctions, and cognitive therapy may be able to help uncover the roots of the problem.

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dirty movies

The debate over whether this is a genuine addiction rages on between therapists, psychologists and other professionals.  It has not yet made it into the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) as a legitimate mental illness, but the similarities to other addictions are many.  Whether or not it is an illness, it is certainly a problem for many men, women and couples and has led to social problems, family issues and sexual dysfunctions.  Luckily, there is help available to curb the addiction and return the addict to normal sexual function.
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