What is Porn Addiction?

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What is Porn Addiction?

13 October, 2021Articles, News

Porn addiction is a behavioural disorder classified by people who experience difficulties with all-consuming sexual thoughts and behaviours. Their compulsions to watch pornography consequently can create emotional fall-outs such as stress, mood swings, depression or anxiety. People struggling with porn addiction problems tend to find they live a “double life” which may result in them pulling away from significant life events and relationships with others.

These behaviours may often be linked to intimacy-related issues or the inability to communicate or connect on interpersonal levels with a romantic partner. Porn addiction and the underlying fantasies they offer allow people an “escape” from having to confront their reality. This may include the unpredictability of real-life interpersonal relationships, their fears of rejection, judgement or past trauma which may all often trigger emotionally painful events. In some cases, the side-effect is that porn is simply being used to avoid certain situations.

Historically the medical field has described addiction as a chronic relapsing disorder, or continued use of illicit substances (including alcohol) despite the negative consequences that result from prolonged use. It is when someone abuses substances such as alcohol or drugs to the point where their body becomes overly dependent on the substance to function. As the physiology of an addict’s or alcoholic’s body is different from the average person, their use of substances/alcohol creates a physical craving for more each time either is consumed. But how does this explain porn addiction problems and a non-substance related addictions such as a porn addiction?

While many people understand the addiction to alcohol or drugs, not everyone realises how viewing pornographic material obsessively, being exposed to sexual imagery or videos can be extremely addictive; especially since it’s not a physical intake of a chemical or substance that they put into their body. However, pornography and porn addiction problems can still activate regions in the brain that are associated with motivation and reward – such as the dopamine system.

Porn addiction is when the brain becomes dependent on pornography to experience dopamine surges; therefore, it may cause a lack of control over their sexual behaviour. The obsessive and compulsive behaviour of viewing pornography is the brain’s demanding need for stimulus, and each time the act of viewing occurs so does a release of dopamine. However, over time, the body stops providing as much dopamine as it did when first engaged with porn – which means people begin to watch it more often or view more extreme pornographic scenes to receive the same pleasure. The constant craving for these dopamine surges can reduce the brain’s response to ordinary stimuli. Which in turn increases the desperate need to view more pornographic content more frequently and dependency is established.

What are the side-effects of porn addiction?

The side effects of porn addiction problems may vary from person to person, and some scenarios will require formal treatment.

As porn addiction is a deeply private, fantasy-driven realm for individuals, and is a classic “escape” from an otherwise mundane or routine driven existence, a person’s real life tends to become less of a priority and riskier behaviours begin to emerge. Obsessive thoughts and compulsive sexual behaviours begin to displace relationships and negatively harm a person’s real life in terms of work and other relationships.

When a person starts to avoid their lives in favour of their routine escapes- their fantasy begins to overtake the importance of their reality and consequentially impacts their well-being. This cycle can often result in feeling disconnected from others. It also tends to manifest in other addictions or co-occurring destructive behaviours such as eating disorders, depression, chronic stress, depression and anxiety. As porn addiction problems are considered an intimacy disorder, it becomes hard for a person to mask the underlying need to escape to porn or “wanting to leave” everyday scenarios to satisfy a porn craving. Often people with porn addiction problems may at times get angry or hostile, or even just irritable when they are asked to stop engaging with pornography or forced to endure events/situations where porn viewing may not be available.

Another marked side-effect of porn addiction includes the secrecy involved in their attempts to “hide” their use of porn from loved ones. This, in turn, creates the sense of living a “double” or “secret” life that is directly attributed to obsessive porn use and has a negative impact on critical things like attending work, events or prioritising personal well-being and relationships. With any case of classifiable addiction, there is a distinct sense of personal powerlessness or an inability to stop the behaviour for any length of time.

If you or a loved one are battling a porn addiction and need assistance – know that help is readily available. The road to recovery is not always an easy one, but getting yourself or your loved one the best care from the team at Crossroads Recovery Centre, provides you with a map to sober, healthy living. No matter how bad things seem, there is hope and it’s just a phone call away. If you or anyone close to you needs help with an addiction to sex, gambling, substances, alcohol or food, please contact us for a free assessment.

www.crossroadsrecovery.co.za

074 89 51043 JHB

012 450 5033 PTA

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The encouragement, love and support from the team at Crossroads allowed me to eventually see that I was worth something - that my life could be turned around and that I could accomplish the things that had long been a forgotten dream.
Oliver VG
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On the last day of my stint at Crossroads I could only express gratitude towards all who works there. A wise councillor once commented on my question when one is ready for rehab by explaining that when one is ready for rehab, rehab is ready for you.
Johan B
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I was lost and my soul was broken until I ended up at Crossroads and was introduced to the Twelve Steps. With the help of their excellent staff and amazing support I have recently been clean for 18 months, I could not have done it without them!
Carla S
Read more
"Just for today I am more than three years in recovery. I have Cross Roads to thank for this wonderful gift. Cross Roads helped me to set a firm foundation in my recovery on which I can continue to build."
Angelique J
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Sex Addiction

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Home / Posts tagged "porn addiction"

Sex Addiction

29 September, 2021Articles, News

We live in a highly sexualized society; sexual content is abundant and apparent in just about every corner of our lives. Porn addiction is an easy temptation. As far as society has developed, there has been no effective way to regulate the human sex drive (Britannica, 2021). The human capacity to derive pleasure from sexual stimulus, renders most human beings helpless in the face of a world that is constantly intoxicated by it. Human beings are socialized to be in constant pursuit of a satisfaction that they will in many ways never achieve. Like all addictions, it is not simply the substance that drives the addict- it is the lifestyle as well. The pursuit of the perfect ideal of sexuality is what is often considered as the pay off, in and of itself. Nothing makes this more apparent than pornography.

Pornography represents the exaggerated, controversial, and extreme appeal of the so-called taboos that many desire but never achieve. Pornography is anything that openly promotes, sells, and advertises sexuality, it is derived from the term “porni” which was a term used to refer to both exploitation of the impoverished and the overindulgence of the wealthy in ancient Greek times (Britannica, 2020). Even in times where sexual liberalism was in abundance, this term was often used to refer to transgressions against what were considered to be the healthy expression of sexual desires. This is a possible reason for a sense of entitlement when it comes to porn addiction, many of the addicts enthralled by it, feeling justified in their indulgence on profanities of various shapes and sizes. It’s a small wonder many do not consider it as a problem, they minimize it, citing the notion that those involved in it are in the pursuit of pleasure and venturing to alleviate boredom.

Pornography as an industry often promotes rape culture in modern society, subtly conditioning the human mind to no longer consider that which is a violation of human dignity. This is often made clear in illegal sex trades, such as those found on the dark web and human trafficking markets. Those with means often use these channels to indulge themselves in fetishes of all kinds some of which reach levels of violation and degradation of human dignity that many cultures consider as evil. The above content indicates that the primary problem with pornography is that it is not considered a problem. Its abundance in society is indicative of the fact that societies around the world are being socialized to believe so. Those who suffer from sex addiction are thus rendered blind to the suffering of others and themselves.

Human culture is caught between two extremes, one being the prohibition of pornography, which when implemented in eras gone passed, has only served to exacerbate the problem. The alternative being to promote it and inspire liberalism- this approach having a similar effect. These extremes represent the crux of the problem with pornography and that is that, it represents extremism as a form of normalcy (Britannica, 2020). There are almost no instances where pornography represents sane as well as healthy sexuality, in fact it promotes the sacrifice of it for the sake of gratification (Britannica, 2020).

Due to the effect of heightened sexual stimulation on the human nervous systems pleasure centre- when an individual stops using pornography or indulging in extreme forms of sexual gratification, they go through a type of withdrawal process (Britannica, 2021). This state of
intense discomfort renders them vulnerable to relapse, as many who have progressed to a point where they experience some form of withdrawal are prone to choose pleasure over the pain of it. According to Sigmund Freud, human beings are hardwired to pursue pleasure and avoid pain. Pornography blurs the lines between these two and this is what perverts the norms of healthy sexual activities.

If you or a loved one are battling a sex addiction and need assistance – know that help is readily available. The road to recovery is not always an easy one, but getting yourself or your loved one the best care from the team at Crossroads Recovery Centre, Johannesburg, provides you with a map to sober, healthy living. No matter how bad things seem, there is hope and it’s just a phone call away. If you or anyone close to you needs help with an addiction to sex, gambling, substances, alcohol or food, please contact us for a free assessment.

www.crossroadsrecovery.co.za

074 89 51043 JHB

012 450 5033 PTA

References:
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2020). Catharine A. MacKinnon. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Catharine-A-MacKinnon.

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2021, May 27). Kamala Das. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Kamala-Das.

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The encouragement, love and support from the team at Crossroads allowed me to eventually see that I was worth something - that my life could be turned around and that I could accomplish the things that had long been a forgotten dream.
Oliver VG
Read more
On the last day of my stint at Crossroads I could only express gratitude towards all who works there. A wise councillor once commented on my question when one is ready for rehab by explaining that when one is ready for rehab, rehab is ready for you.
Johan B
Read more
I was lost and my soul was broken until I ended up at Crossroads and was introduced to the Twelve Steps. With the help of their excellent staff and amazing support I have recently been clean for 18 months, I could not have done it without them!
Carla S
Read more
"Just for today I am more than three years in recovery. I have Cross Roads to thank for this wonderful gift. Cross Roads helped me to set a firm foundation in my recovery on which I can continue to build."
Angelique J
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Treating Porn Addiction

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Home / Posts tagged "porn addiction"

Treating Porn Addiction

26 February, 2021Articles, News

Porn addiction or rather sex addiction, like many addictions is a form of escapism, and as a result it has an inherent capacity to diminish an individual’s social relationships and distort their sexual activities in a way that continues to destroy their lives by causing harm to themselves and others (Hall, 2018).

Porn acts as a superficial sexual stimulant and is often used to enhance visual, audio and sensational experiences accompanying the process of masturbation (Hall, 2012). This is done in order to achieve a release from compounded sexual tension and frustration that accumulates when an individual’s healthy sexual desires are not met (Hall, 2018). This means that it acts on the brain in the same way as many other drugs, in that it stimulates an individual’s pleasure centre and releases dopamine into the individual’s brain when they indulge in such activities (Hall, 2012). Repeated excessively over time, this can lead to worsening consequences that occur when an individual indulges in this addictive activity in order to cater to what in its natural form is a healthy drive for procreation and recreation (Hall, 2012).

Withdrawal from reality and deviation towards sexual fantasies and the pursuit of purely sexual interests in instances where an individual experiences stressors in life are common place in sex addiction (Carnes and Adams, 2019). An individual will in such instances, use pornography and other sexual activities to seek relief from these stressors, further reinforcing the habit making the individual even more inclined to sexualize stress and any other forms of discomfort associated with building healthy relations with other human beings or facing life challenges (Carnes & Adams, 2019). This is reflective of one of the many psychological detriments that are brought about by porn/sex addiction as well as how this illness progresses (Hall, 2018).

Most porn/sex addicts develop a view of the people in their lives that is different than that of others who are not as afflicted as they are (Carnes & Adams, 2019). To a porn/sex addict, people tend to become objects, as the addictive disease takes hold of an individual’s mind and relationships become tools for sexual relief. This characteristic is a manifestation of porn/sex addiction in the addict’s social life as it refers mainly to how an individual gripped by this affliction relates to others in their lives (Carnes & Adams, 2019).

This is often known to lead to social withdrawal as the porn addict begins to isolate themselves even further, mistaking the apprehension and concern of others regarding their sexual activities as an aberration of them as human beings, therefore setting them apart from the normal (Carnes & Adams, 2019).

With human beings being social creatures, the withdrawal and isolation brought upon by porn/sex addiction contributes to further disregard an individual places in themselves- and others, and contributes to other self-destructive habits (Hall, 2018). The fact that an individual seeks a superficial relief from stressors using porn can often act as an indicator for unmet needs (Hall, 2012).

The premise of unmet needs often acts as a foundation for recovery from porn/sex addiction, as is the case with most addictions the acceptance of the futility and pain that the addict continues to experience and the lack of pleasure that occurs from individuals being constantly jaded causes them to reevaluate their approach to relief and question if this high is worth the pain and price (Carnes & Adams, 2019).

If they get to this point, it then becomes possible to utilize the twelve step programmes of various sex and love based process addiction fellowship support groups such as Sex and Love addicts Anonymous and Sex Addicts Anonymous to alleviate this affliction (Carnes & Adams, 2019). This is done by utilizing self-reflective exercises to review the individuals sexual conduct over the years past and to help them identify the experiences that they preferred to do in isolation as unhealthy and toxic (Hall, 2018).

An added effect of this initial process is to help individuals embrace the reality that their sexual and social activities never quite fulfilled their needs and as such these needs have become overbearing and unmanageable (Carnes & Adams, 2019). They also come to realize, that they have reinforced the habit for so long that sudden cessation without assistance becomes almost impossible (Carnes & Adams, 2019).

These are the first and second steps of the recovery process from porn addiction and this is immediately followed by the introduction of healthy behaviors that act to stimulate an individual’s social drive and to bring the individuals sexual drives to a point of equilibrium (Hall, 2018).

After this, the individual begins to reinforce their recovery by committing these healthier behaviours into a set of practices that can be carried out daily (Carnes & Adams, 2019). This is the third step in the recovery process, which is proceeded by an inventory of the individuals social, emotional and mental conduct revolving around their sex lives and how this has affected them and others. This is done to identify the individual’s part (responsibility) in these situations as well as where they have been at fault and where they have not. These are the fourth and fifth steps in the recovery process and these are often used to determine an individual’s locus of control (Hall, 2018).

At this point of the recovery process the individual has developed a desire to continue to recover from their sex addiction by acting in a way that is contrary to their past behaviour and by identifying and reconciling any damage that they had done by acting out (Carnes & Adams, 2019). This brings this discussion to steps six through to step nine of the recovery process this is then followed by the maintenance and growth aspects of this programme which involve yet another self-reflective exercise, which helps an individual identify their behaviour daily and actively work to correct it (Carnes & Adams, 2019).

The tenth step is when an individual constantly reinforces their new behaviour by practicing it with others and by using various meditative exercises to help regulate themselves in the face of the many challenges that life is sure to present them (Carnes & Adams, 2019). After this, the addict utilizes the process of giving back to society. He or she shares their individual recovery, providing an opportunity to contribute to the recovery of others (Hall, 2018).

Sex addiction often comes across as the willful sexual exploitation on oneself or others or both, what the SLAA or SAA twelve steps are aimed at accomplishing with regards to sex and pornography addiction, is to emphasize an individual’s sense of self-love. Many sex and porn addicts have a misconception of their needs and as such are not often readily equipped with the knowledge of how to cater to them effectively (Carnes & Adams, 2019).

Henceforth another primary function of the SLAA and SAA twelve step is to debunk myths and distorted thinking in afflicted individuals by providing practical methods for them to apply in their lives, which when practiced regularl, alter their perception of themselves, others and the nature of sex and porn for them (Carnes & Adams, 2019). They eventually begin to perceive such forms of detachment as unhealthy, unneeded and unwanted (Hall, 2018). Through following this process and developing a willingness to have healthier sexual and social relationships many who have followed this path have recovered (Carnes & Adams, 2019).

In conclusion, porn addiction has been seen to have detrimental effects on an individual despite how casually it is approached. It can also be seen that addiction to pornography is a manifestation of the addictive disease. What also becomes clear is the solution and the hope that no one need suffer for too long in the face of this ailment when true relief from life’s stressors lies in overcoming and not avoiding.

If you or a loved one are battling an addiction to porn and are in search of rehabilitation – know that help is readily available. The road to recovery is not always an easy one but getting yourself or your loved one the best care from the team at Crossroads Recovery Centre, Johannesburg, provides you with a map to sober, healthy living. No matter how bad things seem, there is hope and it’s just a phone call away. If you or anyone close to you needs help with an addiction to sex, gambling, substances, alcohol or food, please contact us for a free assessment.

www.crossroadsrecovery.co.za

074 89 51043 JHB

012 450 5033 PTA

References

Hall, P. (2018). Understanding and treating sex and pornography addiction: A comprehensive guide for people who struggle with sex addiction and those who want to help them. Routledge.

Hall, P. (2012). Understanding and treating sex addiction: A comprehensive guide for people who struggle with sex addiction and those who want to help them. Routledge.

Carnes, P.J., & Adams, A.M.(2019). Clinical management of sex Addiction. Routledge.

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The encouragement, love and support from the team at Crossroads allowed me to eventually see that I was worth something - that my life could be turned around and that I could accomplish the things that had long been a forgotten dream.
Oliver VG
Read more
On the last day of my stint at Crossroads I could only express gratitude towards all who works there. A wise councillor once commented on my question when one is ready for rehab by explaining that when one is ready for rehab, rehab is ready for you.
Johan B
Read more
I was lost and my soul was broken until I ended up at Crossroads and was introduced to the Twelve Steps. With the help of their excellent staff and amazing support I have recently been clean for 18 months, I could not have done it without them!
Carla S
Read more
"Just for today I am more than three years in recovery. I have Cross Roads to thank for this wonderful gift. Cross Roads helped me to set a firm foundation in my recovery on which I can continue to build."
Angelique J
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What are the Side Effects of Porn Addiction?

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Home / Posts tagged "porn addiction"

What are the Side Effects of Porn Addiction?

08 April, 2020Articles, News

Porn addiction is considered by some medical professionals, to be one of the many manifestations of sex addiction. It is an all-consuming compulsion and obsession that many addicts hesitate to talk about due to the societal stigma attached to it. Porn addicts may struggle to reach out for help because of overwhelming shame and guilt around their behaviour. Indeed, secrecy is one of the hallmarks or side effects of porn addiction. It is a form of addiction that can ruin relationships, cause financial problems and result in feelings of extreme anxiety and depression.

Because there is no substance (such as drugs or alcohol to turn to as the tell-tale sign), porn addiction may be more difficult to identify in oneself or others. But one of the most characteristic side effects of porn addiction is the feeling of absolute powerlessness over the compulsion to watch porn or consume pornographic material. For many addicts who find themselves in the grip of this form of addiction, watching porn can cause significant disruptions. As a result, porn addicts may feel compelled to watch porn at inappropriate times, such as at work, during social gatherings or in times when family or friends should take priority.

Many porn addicts attest to the fact that, just as in the case of addiction to a drug or alcohol, one develops a certain level of “tolerance” to pornographic material over time. It is therefore not uncommon for porn addicts to feel the need to watch increasingly more porn or more explicit porn in order to satisfy what can be called a craving.

Another major side effect of porn addiction is the inability to stop watching porn despite experiencing negative consequences. Spending exorbitant amounts of money on pornographic material even when one cannot afford it, is often a symptom. Likewise, the secrecy that comes with hiding one’s addiction can cause strain in romantic relationships, but that too is often not enough of a deterrent.

If left untreated, the side effects of porn addiction, when compounded with the everyday challenges of life, can result in a destructive downward spiral into extreme isolation and depression. The most important thing to understand is that this behaviour can be arrested and with a program of recovery, addicts can be rehabilitated and shown a new way of life, free from the compulsion to watch porn.

If you or a loved one is in search of help for porn addiction, know that help is readily available. Contact us for a free consultation and we’ll support you in your journey.

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The encouragement, love and support from the team at Crossroads allowed me to eventually see that I was worth something - that my life could be turned around and that I could accomplish the things that had long been a forgotten dream.
Oliver VG
Read more
On the last day of my stint at Crossroads I could only express gratitude towards all who works there. A wise councillor once commented on my question when one is ready for rehab by explaining that when one is ready for rehab, rehab is ready for you.
Johan B
Read more
I was lost and my soul was broken until I ended up at Crossroads and was introduced to the Twelve Steps. With the help of their excellent staff and amazing support I have recently been clean for 18 months, I could not have done it without them!
Carla S
Read more
"Just for today I am more than three years in recovery. I have Cross Roads to thank for this wonderful gift. Cross Roads helped me to set a firm foundation in my recovery on which I can continue to build."
Angelique J
Read more

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